SPD: A New Sun Warrior
by thunderyoshi
Summary: In 2028, another planet has been destroyed, and Emperor Grumm has turned his eye to Earth. Spencer and Annie, B-Squad cadets, are joined by five others, and soon find themselves the main force against the destroyer and his malevolent forces. But before they can save the world, they need to work as a team.
1. Beginnings Part 1

**So I'm not quite as far into this as I'd hoped, but I decided to update with this much! It's a little short as most of my first chapters can be, but I hope you like it.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Beginnings Part 1

 _Three figures stood in a dark location with an arena of sorts. One had the appearance of a mummy, while the other two wore Gold and Silver suits with long capes. They stood in tense silence as smoke rose from the lamp in the hands of the one in silver, gaining the form of an anthropomorphic cat wearing genie-like clothes._

 _"Tada! It's Jenji. Now, remember the rules. Swords only. No other weapons or magic," the cat-genie looked from the mummy to the man in Gold._

 _"Agreed," the one in Gold nodded slowly._

 _"But of course!" the mummy announced in a dramatic voice._

 _"Goodie! Then combatants, prepare for battle!" the cat yelled, and both transformed into much different armour. "We'll just get you chained up. Bring on the chains!" he called, and the woman in Silver snapped her fingers, summoning chains that wrapped around their right wrists. "In this corner, the noble Daggeron! And in this corner, the traitor known as Calindor, aka Imperious! Let the bound battle begin!" Jenji yelled._

 _Both leapt into the air, and began to fight, swinging their swords and clashing loudly. Jenji commentated loudly as the one in Silver watched, clutching her hands to her chest._

 _She winced as Imperious managed to nick Daggeron's armour with his sword, but she was forced to remain on the sidelines with Jenji. Not long into the fight, Jenji had fallen silent, standing at her side and watching the match. At first it seemed that Imperious had the upper hand, managing to knock Daggeron to the ground._

 _Imperious laughed mockingly as he stood over his opponent, confident that his victory was at hand. However, Daggeron spun suddenly, his boots connecting with Imperious' chest and throwing him back. Before long, Imperious was on the ground, overwhelmed by Daggeron's attacks._

 _Daggeron's blade clashed with Imperious' again, but this time he wrapped the chain around it, and yanked up. Imperious cried out as the sword was wrenched from his grasp, and clattered to the ground. He was knocked to the ground as Jenji cheered, but as Daggeron swung his sword down to end it, Imperious let out a laugh and cast a spell. The woman cried out as she was teleported to him, and Daggeron's blade stopped inches from her face._

 _"No!" he yelled out._

 _"Surprise!" Imperious laughed, and blasted Daggeron, getting to his feet as he lifted Daggeron into the air. He then tossed him to the ground, and Daggeron demorphed, groaning as Imperious laughed._

 _"Daggeron!" the one in Silver cried out as she struggled in the grasp of Imperious._

 _"Hey, you cheated!" Jenji yelled._

 _"Of course I did," Imperious scoffed as he glanced to the genie, and shoved the woman into him. The pair cried out as they tumbled to the ground, and Daggeron pushed himself up. "Do you think I care about fighting with honour?" he demanded as he returned to his mummy-like form. "That is for fools like you and Leánbow!" Imperious told Daggeron, whose grip on his sword tightened._

 _"You've learned nothing from him! I'd rather die with honour, than live without it!" Daggeron told him._

 _"So be it," Imperious blasted him with magic again, laughing as Daggeron cried out. However, he suddenly broke free, swinging his sword up, and Imperious cried out as Daggeron launched at him, and struck him down with several strikes of his sword. The chain shattered as Imperious fell to his knees, groaning._

 _"You have defeated me, Daggeron...but with my destruction, a terror will be unleashed that you cannot even imagine!" Imperious declared, and as he got to his feet, he began to turn to dust, reverting back to his true form. He then turned away, cackling loudly before he completely disintegrated, his laughter echoing loudly even after he was gone._

A loud beeping pulled the young man sleeping from his odd dreams, making him groan. Hidden under the thick blanket that was almost entirely wrapped around him, the young man let out a wide yawn and rolled onto his side.

With another slow movement, the young man rolled onto his back and pushed himself up so the blanket fell away, shattering the wall between him and the rest of the world.

"That was weird...Gramps?" he wondered aloud, puzzled by his dream. "And was that...Grandma and Jenji with him? Who was that dude he was fighting?" the young man muttered to himself, before a pillow hit him in the side of the head.

"You wanna stop muttering and turn that off Spence?" his room-mate groaned as he buried his way under his blanket. Quickly forgetting his dream, Spencer grinned and leaned over to turn off his alarm, which was continuing to beep. He tossed the pillow back to Kayden, hitting the young man who was attempting to steal another hour of sleep.

Spencer dressed in his training gear, which consisted of a pair of loose bottoms and a gold tshirt. After brushing his hair and checking his reflection in the mirror, Spencer grabbed his glasses and perched them back onto his nose. His roommate was fast asleep again by the time he was ready to leave.

The newer Cadets saluted as he walked past, looking exhausted at being up so early. Spencer was well used to it by now, and enjoyed the quiet of the academy in the early mornings before the most of those who worked for Earth's SPD base got up.

"You're late," about ten minutes after he arrived in the training grounds, Spencer was joined by another. When the response came in the form of a raspberry blown, he looked around with a grin.

His companion was a tall blonde young woman wearing training gear like his own, only with Silver instead of Gold, and a pair of shorts instead of trousers. Her long curly hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she was smirking back; greenish-blue eyes sparkling in the early morning sunlight. "Mature," Spencer told her, tossing the mat down between them.

"Bet you were here five minutes early," she accused, walking over to help set up.

"Someone has to get this place ready for our training Annie," Spencer replied calmly, not rising to his best friend's taunts. Annie grinned, fixing her ponytail before stepping onto the mat. "Hey Annie?" he spoke a few minutes into their practising.

"What's up?" Annie asked as she released his wrist and stepped back, raising her fists to guard her upper body.

"You ever hear the name Calindor? Or Imperious?" he asked her curiously, making Annie frown.

"Never. Why?" she asked as he swung another punch for her to catch.

"It's nothing. Had a weird dream with my grandparents and Jenji just," Spencer shrugged, and Annie moved suddenly, sweeping his legs out from under him. Spencer hit the mat hard, groaning.

"Dude, you've grown up on stories our parents and your grandparents have told you," Annie grinned as she offered him her hand. "You probably just dreamed one of the stories Daggeron told you. Either that or you made it up," she suggested as he took her hand.

"I've never heard the name Calindor though. It's weird," Spencer shook his head as she pulled him to his feet, and they continued to spar.

"Well you can do one of two things," Annie said as she caught him in an arm-lock.

"What's that?" Spencer grunted as he slipped out of it and swung a kick at her side. Annie danced out of the way easily, not only used to his moves, but since they were just sparring, he was holding back a lot. They both were.

"You can forget about it," Annie threw a punch that he deflected with the back of his hand. "Or you can ask Daggeron," she said as he pushed in close. She then caught his arm as she dodged his punch. Moving around him, she caught his head and grinned.

The few others who were out training early looked around at a loud thud, and found Spencer on his back, his legs over his head as he groaned.

"You said you'd stop doing that..." he complained as he managed to move so he was lying flat on the mat. Annie couldn't help but laugh as she stood over him again.

"You were distracted, I couldn't help myself," she admitted, offering her hand again. Spencer glared up at her, not moving this time. "Aw, did I hurt your ego?" Annie teased him playfully.

"No...I know I can't take you on," Spencer finally moved and took her hand. With another groan, he got back to his feet. "Ok, let's keep going," he told her, falling into his preferred fighting stance as Annie did the same.

As usual, they had a group of spectators watching them, curious about the pair who had been at the academy for two years. The pair had shown skill in martial arts since they arrived, and while they had continued to learn while there, their fighting styles were not only vastly different from most in the academy, but also from each other.

* * *

After breakfast, the two walked through the academy, having been summoned by their Commander. Having changed their training gear for their usual uniforms, they stood out from the other cadets. Instead of all grey, Spencer's uniform had Gold while Annie's was Silver.

"Wonder what's going on now," Annie wondered as she zipped up her jacket. "Maybe it's about those other three in B-Squad," she mused aloud. "Maybe they're finally getting elevated to our level," she winked to Spencer, who rolled his eyes.

"Doubt it," he shook his head. "They aren't ready to be Rangers. They let those thieves get away yesterday," Annie rolled her eyes.

"Anyone would have been surprised that those two had weird powers," Annie defended. Commander Kruger had briefed them on what the other three members of B-Squad had gotten up to that morning.

"We wouldn't have," Spencer muttered.

"We're different Spence, you know that," Annie reminded him. Spencer didn't answer. "But you're right, they're probably not ready to be Rangers. They don't even get on with each other," she chuckled to herself, and they finally arrived at the command centre. The doors slid open, and the three figures inside froze instantly.

"Huh..." Spencer murmured as they walked in. "Guess you were right. Partly anyway," he mused to Annie.

"Any idea why we've all been called here?" Annie turned to the three after elbowing Spencer.

"No idea," Bridge smiled brightly. Annie gave him a weird look.

"We were called to report ages ago..." Syd rolled her eyes as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "No idea why," she turned back to Bridge, and continued to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with him.

"Ohh, I do love a good mystery," Annie grinned as she glanced to Spencer. The young man sighed, shaking his head.

The five waited in partial silence for 20 minutes, with Annie and Spencer talking between themselves as Syd and Bridge continued to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, and Sky paced.

"Yes!" Bridge cheered quietly, making the others look around as he bounced happily. "Fifty-five times in a row!" the gloved cadet cheered himself on.

"Alright, enough!" Syd finally had enough. "I'm officially bored to tears. We get called to report an hour ago, report to who?" she demanded.

"Whom," Bridge corrected.

"Never correct me again!" Syd snapped, taking him by surprise. Annie snorted nearby, earning a nudge from Spencer. "I'm sorry...I'm just a little tense watching Walkathon boy wear a path in the floor," she glared over at Sky.

"If you have a problem with it Sydney, make me stop," Sky challenged, continuing to pace.

"Ok...I may be a girl...and I may be cute...but no-one-" she lunged for Sky, with Bridge jumping between the two to try and stop them fighting. Annie covered her mouth to hide her giggles as Spencer rolled his eyes. The doors opened again, and a large blue anthropomorphic-dog walked in.

"I trust you're using this time to bond as a team," Kruger commented, making them jump and spin around.

"Yes sir!" they called back as Bridge fixed his uniform.

"Good. Come this way. Cadets Bly and Bradley, you too," he nodded to the other two, who followed. He led the five down the corridor, and into Dr. Manx's lab. Kat, a feline alien who was vastly more intelligent than the rest of SPD, stood up and walked over with a smile.

"Without going into details, Earth's ultimate survival dictates that I elevate your team to active status," Commander Kruger's words made Spencer's eyes widen, and it took everything he had not to say anything. Annie bit her lip, seeing his shock and fighting not to laugh. "Any questions?" Kruger asked. Bridge raised his hand and stepped forwards.

"Uh yeah...just one," he frowned in confusion at their boss. "Did you say 'ultimate survival' as in the Earth may be destroyed?" Bridge asked him.

"I did," Kruger confirmed. Spencer and Annie exchanged curious looks.

"Cadets. You have spent the last two years in simulated training. But this time, the game is real," Kat spoke up, and looked to her her assistant Boom, who held a tray. He walked over, and she lifted one of the devices on the tray before Boom turned to the other three and let them lift the others. "SPD Morphers. They are, without a doubt, your best friend. They're also judgement scanners, they will assess the guilt of those you take into custody," she told them. "Boom..." she looked to her assistant as he set down the tray. "Guilty or innocent of eating the last slice of chocolate cake today?" she smirked, and pressed the button on the morpher. It flipped open, and began to judge him.

"Me? I uh..." Boom laughed nervously, and Spencer shook his head. It didn't take a judgement scanner to work it out. "No. No I didn't," he shook his head and folded his arms, but avoided looking at her.

"The scanner reads body temperature, pulse and electrical impulses, and renders a verdict," the Morpher flashed, and revealed a bright red cross. "Guilty," Kat smirked as it beeped loudly.

"But-"

"And it does not make mistakes," Kat interrupted before Boom could try to argue.

"Ok...I'm guilty...but it was just a piece of cake!" he wailed loudly. Kat's smirk widened and she flipped the Morpher closed again, pressing a button as she aimed it at Boom. He let out a cry as there was a bright flash, and a small card landed on the ground with Boom inside. The three gaped as Spencer and Annie grinned very slightly.

"This makes transportation of the detainee a non-issue," Kat smirked.

"You are trained and now equipped," Kruger spoke as Kat lifted the card. Boom yelled for her to release him, but no-one listened. "You, along with Cadets Bly and Bradley, are now the B-Squad Power Rangers. Congratulations," he told them.

"Yes!" Bridge cheered loudly, doing a little victory dance.

"Celebration can come later. I need your immediate assistance on an urgent matter," Kruger told them, making Bridge stop quickly as the three nodded. Kruger then turned to Spencer and Annie. "You two are to join them. You are now a team of five, not just a team of two," he told them sternly. The two saluted as their new teammates looked to them.

"Yes sir," they chanted.

"Follow me," Kruger turned and walked out, and the five quickly followed, letting Kat get back to her work and continue to ignore Boom as he pleaded for her to let him out.

"The co-ordinates of the street thieves is locked into your vehicles' computers," the Commander told the five before sending them out into New Tech City to bring in the thieves that Sky, Syd and Bridge had failed to apprehend the previous day.

Spencer leaned in close to his bike, which had been built by Kat and then customised by Annie and himself, much like her own bike, allowing them to speed ahead of the other three.

After handing out the last of the clothes they had stolen, the two thieves walked around their truck to get back in and escape the scene of the crime, only to hear the sirens and freeze as a bike and a jeep pulled up in front of them. Sky pulled off his helmet and gloves, getting off his bike as the two groaned.

"Nice to see you two again," Sky said as the three stood together.

"I told you we should'a quit while we were ahead Jack," the girl snapped to her partner.

"Don't worry," Jack rolled his eyes. "I'll take care of this, and we'll be on our way," he smirked.

"Oh really?" the two spun around to see Annie and Spencer behind them. Spencer adjusted his glasses as he stood leaned against the truck, and Annie cracked her knuckles. "You want to try us then?" he asked as the two backed away from them.

"Looks like they brought friends, I told you," the girl muttered irritably to him.

"And I told you, I got this," Jack waved her off, and ran at the pair. Annie's smirk widened and Spencer just rolled his eyes. Before Jack realised it, he slammed into something that felt like a brick wall, and flew backwards. The girl cried out as she ran to his side, and the other three Cadets stared at the shimmering light in front of the two.

"You're not the only one with tricks," Spencer commented as Jack pushed himself back to his feet.

"Jack, let's get outta here," the girl pleaded with him.

"Can't do that. We need to finish this here and now, or these clowns will be bugging this forever," the thief replied. The two fell into fighting stances, and Annie's smirk widened.

"She clones and he phases. Who do you want?" Spencer's gaze slid to her.

"I'll take her. It's been a while since I've dealt with that," Annie stalked towards the girl, whose eyes widened. Without waiting for her to prepare herself, Annie darted forwards and went on the offensive.

"Z!" Jack looked to her as she cried out, shoved backwards by the blonde.

"I wouldn't look away from your opponent if I were you," Jack looked around just in time to dodge Spencer's kick. He lashed out with a punch of his own, but found it deflected easily by the back of Spencer's hand. He was forced to keep moving backwards, keeping his eyes on Spencer, unable to do anything but defend against the onslaught of attacks.

Nearby, his companion wasn't having much luck either fighting against Annie. Every attack she threw at the taller young woman, it was blocked or countered. Letting out a low growl, Z's eyes lit up yellow for a moment, and Annie's smirk dropped as she realised she was surrounded by 3 clones.

"Oh, now that is cool," Annie's smirk returned, and Z's eyes widened in shock. "But like my rather gifted friend says, you guys ain't the only ones who have tricks up your sleeves," raising her hands, Annie performed a series of gestures, before throwing her hands out to her sides. As she did, she seemed to multiply.

"What?" Z inhaled sharply as she found herself staring at multiple copies of her opponent.

"I know," Annie shrugged as she glanced to her dopplegangers. "I hear your copies can't be hit. That's gonna be interesting. If you can catch mine," Annie winked, and went on the attack again. Z raised her arms to defend, and her copies attacked, but were too slow to catch their targets, leaving Z to defend herself.

"They're amazing..." Syd breathed as the three watched the fight.

"I don't get why we had to come along if they're doing all the work..." Sky muttered irritably. When he had sent them out to apprehend the two thieves, Kruger had instructed for Spencer and Annie to take the two on.

"We're a team now Sky," Bridge reminded him with a grin, and earned a glare in response. In front of them, Jack was tossed to the ground, followed by Z, and the two scrambled to their feet quickly as Spencer and Annie approached them.

"We're not doing as well as before bro," Z groaned. "Any suggestions?" she looked to him.

"Run?" Jack offered, and the two glanced at their opponents before sprinting off.

"Oh, I love when they try to run," Annie clapped her hands together as Spencer sighed. Glancing around, Jack frowned when it seemed like they weren't following. Laughing arrogantly, he turned and kept running with Z. They skidded to a stop when there was a clap of thunder and a flash of light, and the two appeared in front of them. "Nice try," Annie grinned as they stared in alarm.

"Cadet Tate, you want to take over here?" Spencer glanced to Sky as he, Bridge and Syd ran up behind the two thieves, just as surprised. Sky nodded, lifting his morpher and holding it up in front of him.

"You're both accused of stealing and redistributing stolen goods," Sky told them.

"Can you prove it?" Jack growled at them.

"Actually, yes we can," Bridge nodded, looking excited. Sky flipped open the Morpher, and after a moment, it flashed and the scanner showed the bright red X. "Guilty!" the two gulped.

"Any chance of going two outta three?" Z tried, but Sky just glared at them. "Didn't think so..." she groaned. "Wait!" she pleaded. Sky rolled his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"What are you gonna do with us?" she asked them.

"It's actually quite fascinating. We're gonna blast you with anti-matter fusion, which reduces you to approximately this big, and this thin," he gestured with his hands as Z looked down and Jack shot her a glare. "Simultaneously, you're inserted into a containment card, then you're shipped off for filing until your...time...is served," Bridge noticed Sky's glare aimed at him and hesitated at the end of his sentence.

"You had to ask Z..." Jack muttered.

"So that's how it works," Annie mused as she looked down at the Morpher in her hand.

"You do the crime, you pay the time," Syd told them, before smiling. "I've always wanted to say that," she admitted, and Bridge grinned to her.

"Enough with the small-talk," Sky made to blast them, only for a strange figure with a large blue head to land between Z and Jack, and Sky, Syd and Bridge.

"What?" Spencer growled, before the stranger tossed a ball into the air. Nuts and bolts burst from it, and formed a group of creatures that surrounded the two groups of SPD Rangers.

"That's okay, a few extra friends don't bother us," Sky smirked arrogantly as they made strange beeping noises.

"Hate to break it to you, but these aren't our friends!" Jack admitted with a wide smirk. "So with our deepest apologies, we'll take this opportunity to be on our way," he then bowed low. "Good luck! Let's go Z," he laughed and the two ran off, leaving the five to face their new opponents.

* * *

 **So I was asked for a list of kids of each of the Rangers (because there are a fair few), so I figured I'd include it here!**

 **Kayden - Blake and Tori's son  
Annie and Miles - Zoe and Hunter's kids  
Serafina - Derek's daughter - Zoe's niece  
Miko - Cam and Melody's daughter  
Timmy - Dustin and Jessie's son - Ari's nephew**

 **Ryan - Kira and Trent's son  
Sam and Ali - Connor's kids  
Wayne - Ethan's son**

 **Spencer, Chase and Teddie - Ari and Xander's kids  
Andrea and Antonia - Chip and Vida's daughters  
Nora - Nick and Maddie's daughter**

 **Tyler - Rose and Mack's son  
Arianna - Tyler and Vella's daughter  
Josh - Ronny's son**

 **Jeremy and Penny - Jenna and RJ's kids  
Tora - Casey and Lily's daughter**

 **So far these are the kids that will feature in SPD, Dino Charge and RPM. As I've said before, these could change a lot, depending on where my writing goes. It changes so often I can never be sure.**

 **Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter here.**

 **Please review!**


	2. Beginnings Part 2

**Took a little longer than planned to write this, but hopefully I'm getting back into the swing of it!  
**

 **Hope you like it, let me know what you think!**

 **Also, there's an announcement at the end of this chapter, so check that out!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Beginnings Part 2

The five B-Squad cadets stood together, bracing themselves as the blue-headed leader turned to them.

"Attack!" he ordered, and the black suited creatures rushed them.

Leaping over a barrel, Spencer kicked one of them back, narrowing his eyes when it only stumbled. There were few who could keep standing from one of his kicks. Dodging its attack, Spencer was forced to keep moving as they swarmed him. As he flipped one and was pushed back as a result, he saw Annie and the other three not faring much better. The blue-headed leader fired an attack at them as they rushed out of his way, but the explosion knocked them off their feet.

"I'm so done with these guys," Spencer moved his arm in a throwing motion. A golden orb lit up in his hand and flew like a ball, hitting one of the creatures. It exploded on contact, and it crashed to the ground. More then took its place, and Spencer stepped back. The five stood together again, surrounded by them.

"Mind if I ask a question?" Bridge called over his shoulder.

"Is this gonna be a long drawn out Bridge-type questions that really isn't a question, but leaves us asking lots of questions?" Syd groaned. Bridge frowned, dropping his stance.

"Wait...I ask long drawn out questions?" he asked her. Sky turned his head to glare at him. "Okay! Wouldn't now be a good time to morph?" Bridge asked them quickly. The other four looked to each other.

"Good question," Annie commented.

"Yes!" the other three chorused, and they dropped their fighting stances, standing in a line. They grabbed the Morphers from their sides, and held them up.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"SPD Blue!"

"SPD Pink!"

"SPD Green!"

"SPD Gold!"

"SPD Silver!"

The now Morphed Rangers wore similar suits in blue, pink, green, gold and silver, with a number on each. Sky's blue suit had the number 2, while Bridge's green suit had 3. Syd had 5, while Spencer's gold suit had the number 6, and Annie's silver one had 7 on it. The blue-headed leader stepped back in surprise.

"Looking good Bridgie, you're green!" Syd smiled to the other cadet. "And I'm Pink, my favourite colour!" she sighed happily.

"Blue? I'm _Blue_?! I'm supposed to be the Red Ranger!" Sky growled furiously.

"How about you quit admiring yourselves and focus on the problem at hand?" Spencer asked them, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh chill out Spence, I seem to recall you being pretty happy with your colour," Annie laughed. Spencer didn't reply, blushing under his helmet.

"Give us what we're looking for!" the leader ordered.

"If it's a fight you want, you got it!" Sky snapped at him.

"Get them!" the fighting began again, but this time went in favour of the Rangers, whose suits gave them greater power and speed. Aiming a kick, Spencer slammed one into a pillar, and when it went down, part of its suit gave way to reveal circuitry. His eyes widened in surprise, but before he could process it, more robots surrounded him.

"Damn," he muttered, dodging their attacks. Hearing an explosion nearby, he glanced around to see Sky, Bridge and Syd on the ground. "Oh great," he went to help, before two figures emerged from the smoke, kicking the robots out of the way, and landed. The two thieves from before landed, smirking.

"Come on Spence!" Annie called as she tossed another robot aside. He nodded, and lit up two more orbs, tossing them at the robots. Annie held out her hands, which began to spark. "Power of Thunder!" she called. Thunder crackled overhead, and lightning slammed into the robots, passing to each other. Before long, the robots were defeated, and the leader ran off.

"Power down," the Rangers demorphed, and Syd and Bridge jogged over to Jack and Z.

"Thanks for the help," Bridge smiled, clapping his hand to Jack's.

"No problem," Jack nodded, only for Sky to roughly grab his wrist. He yanked his arm into the air, glaring at him.

"There is one problem, you're under arrest," he growled.

"But they helped us!" Syd protested, pulling Jack's arm free.

" _They_ are criminals," Sky pointed out. Jack and Z went to run while they were distracted, only to come face to face with Spencer and Annie. Annie held up her Morpher, smirking at them.

"Oh please, give me a reason to use this at last," she pleaded. They glared at the two as Spencer watched them. His expression gave nothing away, but his eyes watched them carefully behind his glasses. However, before they could do anything, a siren filled the air and they looked around.

"Cadet Bradley, stand down," Commander Kruger ordered. With a huff, she lowered her Morpher.

* * *

"Woo, sounds like you two had an interesting day," Kayden grinned as he looked up from his game. Annie was sitting on the sofa, while Spencer was on the ground reading a book. "I told you those three would get elevated to Ranger status," he commented.

"They're pretty good, but they have a lot to learn," Annie replied. Spencer hummed his agreement, nodding.

"But to hear that those two thieves have powers, now that's interesting," Kayden mused after. Annie nodded. It was definitely unusual. It wasn't as if people just had powers all of a sudden. Spencer's powers came from his mother, and Annie had trained as a Thunder Ninja from a young age. Even Kayden's control over Water came from his Ninja abilities.

"So do Sky and the others," Spencer looked up from his book. "I don't know how. They're definitely not like me. I'd have known about it," he murmured. Annie grinned as she looked at him, knowing how much it was irritating him to not know. Spencer hated not knowing things. Surprises drove him crazy.

"I'm still surprised you haven't gone up to B-Squad yet Kay, I mean you've been here longer than us," Annie commented. Kayden shrugged.

"Nah, I'm still working my way up. Unlike you two, I haven't spent my entire life training. My parents waited till I was a normal age," he grinned teasingly at them. Tori and Blake, both of whom had focused on their careers a surfer and later surfboard maker, and a motocross racer, instead of continuing down the path to become Ninja Masters – much like Ari. They'd waited until Kayden was certain he wanted to become a Ninja, and Blake was crushed to find that his son had inherited his mother's abilities. After seeing him on a motocross bike, he'd been certain Kayden was a Thunder Ninja. Unfortunately for him, Kayden was even better on a surfboard.

"Not to mention when you're not motivated, you're awful for studying," Spencer grinned at him.

"Yup," Kayden nodded, unashamed. "So now you're a team of five...I wonder just what will happen next," he wondered aloud.

"You and me both," Spencer agreed.

* * *

The next morning, Commander Kruger walked through the training grounds with Z, towards where Sky, Bridge and Syd were sparring with three others.

"Rangers!" he called, earning their attention as they flipped their opponents in unison. They turned, saluting their Commander. "Bly, Bradley, you too!" he called, and Z glanced around to see the two running past, laughing. Far behind them, others trailed behind, sweating and trying to catch their breaths.

"Kayden, you're up," Spencer slapped the hand of the young man, who grinned back and began to run. Spencer and Annie then jogged over. "Sir," the two saluted to the Commander as they reached him.

"Elizabeth Delgado has chosen-"

"Hey! Remember me?" the young woman smiled at them as Spencer and Annie stood with their team, watching her curiously. "You can call me Z," she introduced herself.

"Hey," Bridge, always friendly, waved at her.

"Hey," she smiled back, looking slightly relieved.

"Miss Delgado has chosen to join SPD. I've assigned her to B-Squad," Commander Kruger announced. Everyone blinked in surprise.

"Sir. She's a criminal," Sky pointed out, as if he had missed this fact.

"Duly noted," the Commander replied flatly as Z took her hat off.

"Sir, we've been here for years. And you put her with us?" Sky scoffed.

"I seem to recall only joining a little over a year ago," Annie tapped a finger to her mouth. "And Spencer, didn't you join a little while after me?" her greenish-blue eyes darted to her best friend, who nodded silently. "And we made B-Squad before you," Sky's heated glare would have seared anyone, except for the daughter of the dark and brooding Thunder Ninja.

"And if you recall, Z here easily took you down," Spencer spoke up, looking bored. He met Sky's glare effortlessly, having grown up with Annie as his closest friend. "Despite you being here for years," he added. Z's smile returned, watching the two.

"Cadets Bly and Bradley are correct," Commander Kruger agreed. "She is your new team member. I expect you to treat her as such," he ordered, his eyes on Sky, before he turned and walked off. Z then smiled awkwardly at them.

"So...what do you guys do for fun?" she asked them.

"Bring in thieves," Sky responded.

" _Try_ to bring in thieves," Spencer coughed, and Annie and Syd giggled. Bridge hid his grin as Z smiled at him, and Sky glared at him again.

* * *

"Discipline. Control. Teamwork," Commander Kruger listed as he paced in front of the six in the Command Centre. "These are the elements that make you a Power Ranger. But these are things that the Academy cannot teach you. These are things that you must learn for yourself," he told them firmly. "Any questions?" he asked. Sky leaned in close.

"Uh Sir...seems there was a mistake...I was given the Blue Ranger – I thought-"

"There was no mistake," Commander Kruger cut him off firmly.

"Let it go, Sky," Syd told him quickly.

"But Sir!" Sky ignored her. "I know it would have made a difference fighting those goons," he insisted. Annie and Spencer sighed.

"Hey, who are you calling a goon?" Z snapped.

"Not you, the other goons," Syd explained, and the new addition relaxed.

"They were weird, huh?" Bridge spoke up suddenly. "They had these big metal soccer-ball heads, that were going like 'bing-bing'-"

"Krybots!" Kruger spoke suddenly, his head lifting. "Troobian Robotic Footsoldiers...they do not feel pain or emotion, they know no mercy...they are programmed to follow orders and destroy," he growled.

"That's promising..." Spencer muttered. "Sir, they were being led by another robot, one that was stronger and actually spoke. It had a blue head-"

"A Blue Head?!" Kruger's eyes went wide. "Grumm's elite robotic guard...this is more serious than I thought," he whispered, hitting his fist against the control panel in front of him. "Do you know what they were after?" he asked, looking up again.

"We had nothing of value," Z shook her head. "We gave everything we stole – I mean...acquired...to the poor," Z coughed, correcting herself.

"They were after something," Kruger muttered, more to himself than the group as Annie giggled at Z's slip. Before they could continue, the alarm went off and a red light flashed in the room.

' _A-Squad Power Rangers to engage giant robot in the downtown sector_ ,' Kat's voice echoed through the base. ' _Requesting B-Squad Rangers for immediate support_ ,' Sky grinned as the others glanced around.

"Finally, some action," the new Blue Ranger nodded in approval. Spencer and Annie exchanged looks.

* * *

"Yes, _finally_ some _action_ ," Z mocked as she swept up. "If you count cleaning up robot parts," she grumbled.

"You think being a Ranger is all about roundhouse kicks and being a hero?" Sky turned to her with a frown. "It's also about hard work...doing what you're told..." he listed. Z didn't respond.

"Don't let Sky get to you," Syd smiled at her. "He gets easier to live with after...actually, he doesn't get easier to live with," she realised, making Z laugh.

"Hey Spence!" Z glanced to Annie as she called out. Her eyes widened as she saw the blonde toss a large piece of metal at the Gold Ranger, who hadn't looked up. Instead, the air shimmered, and the metal bounced off, landing in the large bin beside him. "Yeah, 10 points!" Annie cheered.

"You look like your dad but you act like your mum," Spencer told her, not looking the least bit annoyed at what she had done. Instead, he was grinning slightly. His green eyes moved to Z, who was still watching with wide eyes. Sky and Syd had also stopped to look at them. "What?" he asked, tilting his head.

"You shouldn't use your powers like that," Sky muttered, turning away. Annie stuck her tongue out at him.

"Your power is kinda like Sky's," Syd told Spencer, who turned his attention to the shorter blonde. "Only you don't have to react to activate it...how does it work?" she asked him curiously.

"How do any of our powers work really? It's just instinct," Spencer shrugged. "I've been able to do it as long as I can remember, it just comes naturally," Spencer added, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"True...we've all got these powers that we can just use...it's weird..." Syd commented.

"It is weird. And Annie, you have a power kinda like mine," Z looked to the Silver Ranger. The blonde shook her head.

"It's not really a power," she told the young woman. Z frowned, confused by her words. "It's something I learned. I'll tell you about it one day. And that's not Spence's only power," Annie grinned.

"Blabbermouth," Spencer complained, tossing a piece of metal at her. Annie kicked it into the air, and golden light began to shine by Spencer's side. Z's attention was drawn to it, and her mouth fell open as she saw the light gathering by his hand. Spencer then threw it into the air, and the ball of energy slammed into the metal. It exploded, and ash began to rain down over Annie.

"Rude!" the Silver Ranger exclaimed.

"You deserved it," Spencer told her, turning back to continue sweeping.

"But...how? You have that shield...how..." Z asked, unable to believe what she'd seen.

"It's connected to the shield. I draw power from the sun, and can warp that power into either an offensive, or defensive, move," Spencer explained.

"Wow, I just make copies of myself," Z grinned.

"I can turn my fists into whatever I have in my hands," Syd admitted with a smile. "Captain Grumpy Pants over there can make shields, and Bridge..." she trailed off, and they looked over at Bridge, who had abandoned cleaning and was jumping about over the debris, waving his ungloved hand through the air.

"What's he doing?" Annie tilted her head, watching him.

"He's reading the area for energy," Syd explained. "Leftover auras, particularly strong energy or feelings, he picks it up," she said as Bridge focused on one particular area.

"Guys!" the Ranger in question suddenly called out to them. "Check this out!" he gestured for them to come over, and they climbed over the debris to get to him.

"What's going on Bridge?" Z asked as they reached him.

"Massive amounts of post-energetic fields," Bridge warned them, and Sky crouched, lifting wires from the ground.

"They look like the stuff that came out of those Krybots," Spencer commented, looking around. "There's loads around here," he realised, seeing the large collection of robotic parts.

"And not just that...they were moving in geometric patterns similar to those used by intergalactic search parties," Bridge explained.

"Kruger was right. They're searching for something," Syd realised.

"Z," Spencer turned to the brunette, who blinked in surprise. "Did you or your friend have _anything_ that would be of importance to these guys?" he asked her. Z frowned, shaking her head.

"No...all we had were food and clothes...after we gave those out..." she frowned. "The only thing we had left was a piece of junk some guy gave Jack," she shrugged. The others stared at her in disbelief.

"Well..." Spencer adjusted his glasses. "One man's trash, and all that," he sighed.

* * *

"Well...here it is," Z pulled a long device from a bin that it had been tossed into. "See? It's junk," she told them.

"Maybe it's what they were after," Syd took it from her to study it.

"Yeah, we'll bring it to Kruger," Sky took it off her, only for Bridge to lift it from his hands.

"Yeah, good idea, let's bring it to Kruger," the Green Ranger nodded, before looking up. "Or...we could like, not bring it to Kruger, just not right away, but like, later, you know, after we check it out first? Give it a once over..." he suggested, and Sky snatched it back.

"That's against regulations," he snapped.

"Not according to the SPD handbook," they all looked at Z as she spoke up. Bridge took the device back. "Rule 473-B: Rangers on active field duty have the authority to investigate _any_ possible leads that may pertain to their investigation," she recited, before noticing five stares. "What? I'm a quick study," she shrugged. "So who's with me?" she asked with a devious smile.

"Oh, I'm going to like her," Annie laughed as Bridge raised his hand.

"Just one question, who can even begin to figure out _what_ this is?" Syd asked, taking it from Bridge.

"I could call Cam, what do you think?" Spencer took it from her as he glanced to Annie. The Silver Ranger shook her head.

"Nah, it's probably not from Earth. Even Cam has trouble with alien tech still," she reminded him. Spencer frowned, but before he could argue, the device was lifted from his hands.

"I know a guy," Z told them.

* * *

Slamming her fist on a metal sliding window, Z called out as a couple of aliens ran off at the sight of the six in SPD uniforms.

"Piggy, get out here, it's Z!" she yelled, and the window slid open to reveal an alien with feathers and a strange nose. His eyes widened in alarm.

"Yikes! It's SPD!" he shrieked as he slammed the window shut again. The rest of the aliens around took off.

"It's cool, they're with me," Z told him, and slowly the window opened again.

"Is it okay if I go wait on the street where it's..."

"Safe?" Bridge suggested.

" _Clean_ ," Syd finished.

"Hey!" Piggy looked offended as Spencer grinned slightly.

"Found some space junk Piggy," Z offered up the device, and Piggy's eyes lit up.

"Oh, space junk," he reached out to take it, but she pulled it out of his grasp. Blue mucus poured suddenly from the nostrils on his forehead, to the disgust of everyone as he wiped it away with his sleeve. "Worthless trash...I'll throw it away for you," Piggy offered.

"Let's go, he's wasting our time," Sky shook his head.

"Patience is a virtue, Tate," Annie reminded him, earning another glare.

"Bridge," Z held out her hand, and the gloved Ranger handed over a bag, pulling a face of disgust as he desperately tried not to smell the contents. The others took a step away. "Hmm...baloney sandwich...must have been in the trash for _weeks_ ," she commented as Piggy's eyes lit up.

"Oh I'm gonna puke," Spencer took another step away. Piggy snatched for it, but Z pulled it away quickly.

" _Fine_ ," he growled. "All that is, is your run of the mill, proton accelerator. There's only one on Earth...and that must be it," Piggy explained. Spencer and Annie's eyes widened, and they turned just in time to see a blue-headed robot land nearby. "Oh! It looks like he may want it too!" Piggy cried, sliding his window shut.

"Hand it over, or be destroyed!" the Blue Head ordered.

"So unoriginal," Spencer complained as the six lined up. "Ready?"

"Ready!" the others called as they grabbed their Morphers.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

"Now this is the bright side!" Z grinned, feeling the power of the suit fill her.

The Rangers rushed the robot, throwing punches and kicks, but he was even faster than they were, easily knocking them about. Grabbing Bridge, he tossed the Green Ranger into Sky, and the pair tumbled to the ground. Dodging an energy ball thrown his way, the Blue Head then leapt away, towards the warehouse nearby. The Rangers followed, and Spencer leapt at him aiming a kick that the robot dodged, striking the Gold Ranger with his blaster.

* * *

Alarms blared in SPD headquarters, causing everyone to rush around madly, getting to their posts.

As he hurried towards his own, Kayden collided with a young man, knocking him to the ground.

"Sorry dude, are you okay?" Kayden offered his hand to Jack. "Hey, you're that guy they brought in," he realised, and Jack's eyes widened in alarm. "You're the one who turned down the Ranger position," he accused.

"Does everyone know about that?" Jack complained, looking irritated.

"Sorry dude, it's not everyday you hear someone saying no to being a Ranger," Kayden grinned, despite the alarm still blaring. Jack looked up at the flashing red light.

"What's all the fuss about?" he asked curiously, and Kayden's smile faded slightly.

"Better come with me," the young man told him, turning and hurrying back the way he came. Frowning even more, Jack decided to follow the easy-going cadet, and found himself at the command centre, where Kruger was standing watching the screens. On them, the six Rangers were fighting a robot, and losing.

" _Sir, Blue Ranger requesting immediate backup_!" Sky's voice came over the communication system.

"Patrol places you 27 blocks from your assigned position," Kruger shook his head. "Backup is not possible. You're on your own," he warned, ending the communication before looking around at the two watching.

"Z's in trouble..." Jack murmured, seeing his best friend being thrown about.

"They're too far from anyone who can help them," Kayden told him. "We can't mobilise in time," Jack stared at him, seeing the worry in his eyes. His fists clenched. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Z cried out as she was thrown through the air, landing heavily on her side. With a laugh, the Blue Head fired a blast, and Spencer jumped in the way, raising a shield quickly. The blast was deflected, but the shield shattered as a result.

"He's tough," Sky groaned as they regrouped.

"I'm just getting started!" the Blue Head laughed mockingly.

"So are we!" the Blue Ranger yelled. "Come on guys!" the six got back to their feet. The Blue Head fired another blast, and they launched forwards, rolling out of the way. "SPD Blue!"

"SPD Green!"

"SPD Yellow!"

"SPD Pink!"

"SPD Gold!"

"SPD Silver!"

"Rangers ready! Space Patrol Delta!"

"You're through!" the Blue Head declared, rushing at them. Grabbing their swords, they attacked again, but the Blue Head continued to knock their attacks away and hit them. Leaping at him, Annie slammed her fist at him, but he caught it at the last second, twisting and tripping her up. Bridge swung his sword, but the robot knocked him aside as well.

"You're outnumbered!" Z yelled.

"Not for long!" the robot tossed a ball into the air, and it exploded, creating a large group of Krybots.

"He wasn't kidding," Bridge gulped.

"Who dressed these freaks?"

"Destroy them!" the Blue Head ordered. The Rangers began to fight off the Krybots that surrounded them, throwing punches and kicks, but there were a lot of them.

"I've had enough of this!" Spencer growled as a golden aura surrounded him.

"Spencer, be careful!" Annie called as she looked up to see him glowing.

"Try this on for size! Call to the Beast Inside! Let loose the Bull!" there was a loud bellow, and the other Rangers looked around to see a massive Bull, covered in a gold aura, charging towards the Krybots The robots, taken by surprise, were caught in the horns of the bovine, who tackled them and stampeded through. With a snort, it disappeared, leaving behind damage to its surroundings, and only a few Krybots about.

"Talk about a bull in a china shop," Annie commented as she got back to her feet. Before Spencer could reply, the Blue Head, who had been watching, was suddenly knocked to the ground, and they looked around in surprise.

"We've got company!" Syd warned as a figure came from the entrance.

"Friend or foe?" Bridge gulped.

"It's Jack!" Z realised as he came into view.

"You guys need any help?" the young man grinned.

"Just a little," Spencer nodded. Jack lifted the Morpher in his hand.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Jack Morphed, to the surprise of the others. "SPD Red Ranger!" he leapt through the air, landing in front of the Blue Head. "Let's get this party started. SPD Red!"

"You've gotta be kidding me! _He's_ the Red Ranger?!" Sky demanded furiously.

"Krybots!" the Blue Head summoned more robots to fight, but Jack effortlessly batted each of them away. Once each of the Krybots had been defeated, Jack faced the Blue Head again.

"Now he's just showing off," Syd complained with a roll of her eyes, but there was amusement in her voice.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Z said proudly. They watched as Jack leapt on top of the warehouse, and ran down the side, dodging blasts and retaliating with his own.

"He's not following academy regulations!" Sky complained as the others cheered him on.

"He's not _part_ of the academy, what do you expect?" Annie rolled her eyes at his words. Spencer shook his head. This wasn't about regulations.

"Delta Blaster, Combo Mode!" Jack combined the two blasters together. "Fully charged! Fire!" he blasted the Blue Head, who cried out and exploded as the hit landed.

"Where'd you get that?" Sky demanded as they ran to join the new Red Ranger.

"Came with the suit," Jack grinned back.

"The party's not over yet, Rangers!" they looked up, just in time to be blasted off their feet.

"Sir! Blue Ranger requesting Runners! Looks like we're about to battle a giant robot!" Sky grabbed his Morpher.

" _B-Squad, I have sent A-Squad. Your orders are to stand down_ ," Kruger instructed. " _Evacuate your position_ ," he ordered.

"We're not gonna fight that thing? Thank you!" Jack ran over to speak through Sky's Morpher. "Thank you, thank you-" Sky yanked it away from him.

"Look! It's A-Squad and the Megazord!" Bridge pointed out, and they looked up to see the Megazord attack the robot. They blasted the robot, destroying it easily.

* * *

"I congratulate you for such noble instincts and exceptional teamwork," Kruger spoke to the team of seven standing in front of him. "But you disobeyed a direct order. The Troobians got what they wanted, and now have unobstructed access into our galaxy," the mood darkened at his grim words. "Hard battles lay ahead for all of us. You may make fine Rangers one day, but today is not that day. Dismissed," the five SPD cadets saluted and turned away.

"Woo, that was brutal," Annie stretched as they left, leaving Jack and Z to speak with Kruger.

"I knew we should have just brought it to Kruger," Sky growled, storming off ahead.

"He really needs to lighten up," Syd rolled her eyes.

"He's sulking about Jack getting the Red suit. Just leave him for now," Spencer suggested, shaking his head.

"Good idea. I'm going to shower. I need to get that alley out of my hair," Syd complained, walking off.

"This is going to be fun," Annie grinned as Bridge waved to the pair and walked off to get some rest.

"Something tells me it's going to get a whole lot more interesting alright," Spencer nodded.

* * *

"Come on, keep up!" Annie called as she and Spencer jogged ahead of the group, easily keeping distance between them and the others running with them.

"Why...did we think...it was a good idea...to do this?" one Cadet asked the others as he gasped for breath.

"You'll never improve if you give up!" Spencer called to them, grinning playfully as well.

"Oh yeah?" Annie glanced to him.

"Race you to the finish?" Spencer looked to the Silver Ranger, reading her mind. She smirked at him.

"Hardly a race if I crush you!" she suddenly shot off, going at full pace.

"Hah! I'd like to see you try!" Spencer darted after her, increasing his speed as the other Cadets stopped, gasping for breath as they stared after the two, who easily outmatched them.

"I'm going to leave you _both_ in the dust!" they looked around quickly, just in time for Kayden to speed past them.

"Oh come on! You weren't even running before!" Spencer shouted as he and Annie raced after him.

"Who cares? I'm running now, and crushing the pair of you!" Kayden laughed over his shoulder. Spencer and Annie increased their pace, finally catching up to their friend. However, instead of passing him, they tackled him to the ground.

"You know..." Z commented from the grassy area where she was standing. "I figured we'd be the odd ones out here bro," she glanced to the new Red Ranger, who was carrying a bucket in his hand.

"Please, we're the only normal ones," Jack sniffed, watching as Annie and Spencer pinned the C-Squad Cadet to the ground. "But there's something different about them...compared to the other three," he admitted. Z hummed her agreement.

"Well...no-one said this was gonna be normal. Come on, we better get going if we wanna finish before it gets dark," Z told him, turning away. Jack watched the two for a moment longer, before turning and walking away with her, hoisting the bucket up into his arms. Washing all the windows for the SPD base wouldn't take that long...would it?

* * *

 **So I've been considering this probably for the guts of a year or so, but I've decided that enough is enough. I've decided to discontinue my Light and Darkness series, as I've not only been severely lacking in motivation for continuing it, but I really just don't like it anymore. My writing has improved a great deal (in my opinion) since I first started the series, and I just don't like how I originally started. So, I'm no longer going to continue it. I'll leave the stories up, but there will be no new ones in the series.**

 **BUT.**

 **And this is a big but. (hehe)**

 **I've decided to rewrite the series, with changes to characters, plots, and the overall design to the series. I'm not too sure when I will begin this, but it is currently in the works. I just want to get it plotted out before I begin so I don't get lost halfway through.**

* * *

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Confronted

**Despite the pretty bad updates at the moment (working on that) I'm really enjoying writing this so far! I've been looking forward to it for so long that it feels awesome to finally start! I hope that you're enjoying it too!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Confronted

Breathing in deep, Spencer kept his breathing and heart-rate controlled, his hand holding his blaster firmly. Beside him, Annie was doing the same, listening to the two thieves working on breaking into a car.

' _Squad leader_ ,' Sky's voice came in over their communicators. ' _Do we move in_?' he asked, and Spencer's brow furrowed when there was no response. ' _Squad leader, come in. Do we move in_?' Sky repeated his message. ' _Squad leader_ ,' he hissed a little louder.

"Freeze! SPD!" Spencer and Annie looked around to see Syd pop up from behind the car. The two thieves bolted.

"Come on!" Annie called, taking off after the thieves. Spencer followed, along with Syd, Z and Bridge, out of the car park. As Syd and Z went after one thief, Bridge, Annie and Spencer went after the other. Finding himself cornered, the alien spun around and attacked, but they dodged his sloppy attacks, with Annie dropping down to sweep his feet out from under him. Bridge grabbed the cuffs as Spencer and Annie held him down, and they restrained the flailing thief.

"Where are Sky and Jack?" Spencer asked, looking around as he hauled the thief to his feet. "Come on," he pushed him along, and they came across Z and Syd, restraining the other thief. They returned to the car park, and found Jack and Sky facing off.

"Oh, this is just great!" Jack exclaimed. "I could have been in on the arrest, if Squad Leader would have done their job!" he complained irritably.

"For once...I agree with you," Sky nodded.

"Thank you!" Jack sighed, and looked to the others. "Now who is Squad Leader?" he demanded.

"Are you serious?" Annie raised an eyebrow as nobody else spoke.

"What?" Jack frowned at her, and Sky patted his shoulder.

"That'd be you," he muttered, and Jack's eyes widened. He gave a weak smile to the others, suddenly awkward.

* * *

"Okay, don't get me wrong," Spencer started as he hit buttons furiously on the controller in his hand. "Nobody's really filled Jack in on his position as Red Ranger here," he groaned as his character was knocked to the ground. "But he should have at least read up on it himself. I mean it's been what...three days?" Spencer glanced to Annie, who was smirking victoriously at yet another win.

"I think Sky's just as much at fault here. He's clashing with Jack and the two of them aren't doing their jobs. Instead of helping us, they were arguing amongst themselves," the blonde reminded him. Spencer sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"We aren't a team, we're a mess," he complained, and Annie set down the controller.

"Okay, then let's fix that," she decided, getting to her feet. "Come on. We're gonna spend some quality time with the team," Annie told him. Spencer arched an eyebrow, getting to his feet.

"I thought Thunder Ninjas were unapproachable. It's Sun Ninjas who get on with everyone," he stated, making Annie laugh as they walked to the door and out into the corridor.

"Yeah, but you have the Spirit of the Bull. You got stubbornness in you just as much as me, Bly," she teased, nudging the younger man. He rolled his eyes.

"I doubt that," Spencer couldn't help but grin, and Annie stuck out her tongue at him. However, their good mood faded as the alarms went off again. "That can't be good," the Gold Ranger groaned.

' _B-Squad report to the command centre. This is a Code 5_ ,' the two exchanged alarmed looks, and headed for the command centre.

"What's going on?" Z asked as they all grouped together.

"It's a Code 5," Sky stated as the A-Squad Rangers rushed past, narrowly avoiding bumping Spencer.

"Put it this way," Bridge glanced to the Yellow Ranger. "Code 3 is bad," they walked into the Command Centre.

"Where's the A-Squad-"

"What's happening, Commander?" Sky interrupted to speak to Kruger.

"A full scale attack has been launched against our federation in the Helix Nebula," the Sirian explained as Boom rushed over to the computers. The Rangers and Kruger gathered around the middle, and a hologram appeared of a strange figure with glowing red eyes. He had horns, one of which had been cut off almost completely. Just looking at him sent a shiver down Spencer's spine. "Emperor Grumm, the leader of the Troobian Empire," Kruger told them.

"Ew...a serious contender for one of those makeover shows," Syd's face scrunched up. Z grinned in amusement as Sky rolled his eyes.

"He's merciless and will stop at nothing to conquer what he sets out to," Kruger warned.

"The Helix Nebula?" Sky asked.

"That is just the beginning. He's after this galaxy..." he sighed.

"You sound like you know him," Z frowned at the Commander.

"Our paths have crossed before," Kruger admitted as the image faded. "I've sent A-Squad to the front line of the Helix Nebula," he explained.

"A-Squad's gone?" Sky asked as they all stared at him.

"But they're the first line of defence for Earth," Spencer breathed.

"Yeah...who's gonna protect Earth?" Z asked him softly.

"You!" the bark took them all by surprise. "With Cadet Landors as your leader," Kruger told them. Sky shifted, still bitter about the choice. Spencer adjusted his glasses, worried. "Where is he?" he realised that they were missing their Red Ranger. As if on cue, the doors slid open to reveal Jack in his pjs, barefoot and yawning widely as he walked in.

"You've got to be kidding," Spencer put a hand to his face. Annie covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

"What's with all the alarms?" Jack asked as he walked over.

"Oh, nothing much," Syd scowled. "Just an alien invasion of galactic proportion," she growled.

"Oh..." Jack yawned again, not seeming to take it in.

"Now that A-Squad is on mission, you're going to have to take the responsibility of leading B-Squad very seriously," Kruger told him firmly. "Do you understand?!" he demanded. Jack blinked multiple times.

"Yeah...okay, I get it," Jack nodded, looking irritated at being shouted at.

"Carry on," Kruger instructed, leaving the room. The other Rangers left as well, shooting Jack irritated looks as they did.

* * *

Biting into a peach as he sat down, Spencer watched as Bridge and Annie picked up the game where the Gold Ranger had left off.

"How are you so good at this?" Bridge asked as he lost for the fourth time.

"I'm still certain she's hacked it," Spencer muttered, taking another bite and relishing the juices of the sweet fruit.

"Just because you're a sore loser," Annie grinned, hitting replay. Bridge offered the controller to Spencer, who shook his head.

"I'm good. She kicks my butt in everything enough as it is," he refused.

"And doesn't that encourage you to get better?" Annie asked innocently.

"Yes, she's always like this," Spencer told Bridge, who grinned at him. The two continued to play as Spencer watched, cheering Bridge on in their determination to defeat Annie.

"Come on man, you've got her," Spencer encouraged.

"She's _really_ good, I don't know if I can," Bridge worked the controller furiously, all of them engrossed and not noticing the door open. After a moment, Bridge and Spencer groaned and Annie cheered.

"And the champion continues her spree of victories!" she laughed.

"So close..." Spencer sighed. Bridge hummed in agreement. The three looked up as they heard someone clear their throat, and found Jack standing behind the TV, his arms behind his back. "Hey dude, what's up?" Spencer greeted.

"You three realise that you have ten minutes until training starts?" their smiles fell at his words.

"We know, we were going to head after this game," Annie's eyebrow was raised at his attitude.

"Don't you think that you should go now, then? You have to change, and then get to the track within 10 minutes. You're cutting it real fine," the Red Ranger warned.

"Oh, sure, we'll go now," Bridge spoke quickly, getting to his feet and grabbing his jacket. Annie glanced to Spencer, whose expression was carefully controlled, and she stood up. Without a word, she walked past Jack, purposely bumping him with her shoulder. Surprised by the move, as well as the power behind it, Jack stumbled out of the way.

"Come on Bridge," Spencer sighed, walking past the Red Ranger who had barely remained on his feet.

"Um...sure," Bridge shot Jack a concerned look, before following the other two out. Rubbing his shoulder, Jack watched them go with a frown.

* * *

Grunting and groaning as they crawled through the mud, the Rangers did their best to keep low to the ground, all while avoiding getting the mud in their mouths any more than they already had.

Pushing himself to his feet, Spencer spat out the mud from his mouth and gagged. Following him, Annie got up as well and looked down at her mud covered clothes. There was more mud showing than what she wore. They moved out of the way so the other four could join them, just as coated as the Gold and Silver Rangers.

"Hey!" they looked over to their leader, who was sitting on a sun lounger under a parasol, in a pair of sunglasses. "Welcome back!" Jack greeted, setting his drink down and lowering his sunglasses to smile at him. Annie made a move, and Spencer grabbed her wrist, giving the slightest shake of his head. Annie breathed out through her nose, trying to keep calm. "I didn't think you guys would be done so soon! How'd it go?" he asked pleasantly.

"How does it look like it went?" Syd snapped, flicking mud off her hand.

"A little mud never hurt anyone," Jack told her with a smile.

"Like you'd know," Spencer said, lifting his glasses from his pocket, having had to take them off and run half blind for the majority of the course.

"And it's not true," Bridge supplied helpfully. "My uncle Burnie got a _serious_ infection by sticking mud clumps up his nose," he explained, earning multiple baffled looks.

"Why..."

"Don't ask, please," Z interrupted Annie quickly, too tired. "I thought you said you were gonna meet us out there," the Yellow Ranger looked at her best friend.

"Hello? Red Ranger here?" Jack reminded her, lifting the handbook from the table. "Think I was laying around reading comic books all day?" he laughed.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Sky growled. "You already weapons class and a surveillance seminar," the Blue Ranger pointed out. Jack's smile fell, and he got to his feet.

"I didn't realise it was the Blue Ranger's job to keep tabs on my whereabouts," Jack's voice was low and challenging. Sky glared back, but didn't argue back. With Jack waving the handbook in their faces, they couldn't. After a moment, Jack sighed. "Okay...okay, I know the mud run wasn't very fun, and as expected, you guys are a little edgy. Tell you what. Take five minutes to get cleaned up before martial arts class," he told them, and their eyes widened. "What?" he asked when Sky gave a small laugh of disbelief. "Go! Hey, I'm trying to cut you guys some slack. Fine. We'll do it the other way. I'm Red Ranger, and _that's an order_ ," he snapped. Reluctantly, Z, Syd and Bridge walked on.

"No," everyone looked to Annie when she finally spoke. Her head was lowered, and her body was quivering with barely suppressed anger.

"Don't," Sky hissed at her. "He has no business being Red Ranger, but Kruger picked him. We have to answer to him," the Ranger warned her.

"Exactly," Jack nodded, but not before shooting Sky a glare. "It says right here that the Red Ranger's order are absolute. You cannot-hey!" he cried when Annie snatched the book from him.

"Spencer?" her voice was just as tense as her body.

"You may be the Red Ranger," Spencer held up a hand, and lit up an energy ball. Annie threw the book into the air, and the ball slammed into it, disintegrating it instantly. "But you're no leader," his expression hadn't changed, controlled and the complete opposite of the young woman beside him.

"Now hold on a minute. Using your powers like that is a direct abuse of-"

"There's no rules in the handbook about using powers," Spencer interrupted Jack, who scowled at him. "Is there, Sky?" he glanced to the Blue Ranger.

"There isn't," Sky confirmed.

"There's also a rule that if the other Rangers believe that you aren't suited for the job, a unanimous vote can overrule you," Annie challenged him. Jack's eyes went wide at her words. "I'm going to go take a long shower. Sorry guys, but I'm skipping martial arts training," she told them.

"Hey, wait-"

"Okay, two things," Annie turned back to Jack, her eyes blazing. In this distance, thunder rumbled, making Sky look around, his brow furrowing. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "First, I'll go if you can beat me in a sparring match," Jack hesitated, knowing her skills. Annie was the best of their team, seconded by Sky and Spencer. "Second, considering you've not attended a single training session since you found out you were our 'leader', you have no right to tell me I can't skip," with that, Annie spun around and stormed off.

"And with that," Spencer reached out and wiped his glasses on Jack's shirt, before putting them back on. "I'll see you in training," he smiled pleasantly, but there was a coldness behind it that made the Red Ranger shiver. He then walked off with Sky, leaving the Red Ranger watching them.

* * *

Having been called to the Command Centre, the Rangers stood with Kat and Kruger.

"Rangers, you must use the Delta Runners. It's time you moved to active Zord status," his words took all of them by surprise.

"Zords? Like, _actual_ Zords?" Bridge gasped.

"Okay, I'm a little freaked," Z admitted with a nervous smile.

"Sir, no disrespect, but we've not had anywhere near enough training-"

"There is no time for more training, Cadet Bly," Kruger told Spencer sharply.

"No sweat guys, just follow me," Jack told the team confidently. Annie rolled her eyes and Spencer took a quiet breath.

"Wait. Before you go, do you have full confidence in Jack Landors as your leader?" Kruger's question took them by surprise. "If you have reservations, speak now," the Commander instructed. Jack's eyes immediately went to Annie, who just shrugged. She'd not said a word. Sky immediately raised his hand.

"Sir," he cleared his throat, and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Figures. He's just jealous cause he's not the Red Ranger," he smirked to the others.

"Nothing personal Jack," Syd spoke softly, and his smirk fell. Spencer cleared his throat.

"I have nothing against the Commander's decision, but..." he shook his head. "Since you found out that you're our leader...you've, well," he hesitated.

"Not been acting like one," Annie finished for him. Standing beside her, Sky nodded.

"I like you like a friend and all, but as a leader..." Bridge spoke up, looking guilty. "Did I ever tell you that I really like your dreads?" he asked, trying to make it less harsh.

"This is _unreal_!" Jack growled, looking for one to the other. "I can be a good leader, tell them Z!" he insisted, looking to his best friend.

"It's the truth Jack...sorry," the Yellow Ranger admitted.

"The team has spoken," Kruger determined, and held out his hand. "You're relieved of command and Ranger status," their eyes widened at his words.

"But Commander, don't you think..."

"I've made my decision," Kruger spoke, ignoring Kat's plea. His expression stormy, Jack grabbed his Morpher and shoved it into Kruger's hand.

Almost immediately after, the alarms began to blare, making them look around. "Go Rangers!" the Commander ordered with a bark.

"Ready?" Spencer called to the team.

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the six Morphed and the Zord Bay chutes opened, allowing them to jump in and slide down to their new Zords.

"This is awesome!" Annie grinned as she connected her Morpher into the Bike Runner.

"I'm all set up," Spencer reported as he connected to the Jet Runner.

"He's headed for the Northern District," the Commander reported as he stood in front of the computer with Jack. The young man's arms were folded and he still looked furious, but didn't say another word.

' _Yes sir_ ,' the Rangers called as the doors slid open and Kayden walked in. He glanced to the screens, and whistled.

"Using the Zords already? Must be bad," the young man commented.

"They're getting schooled," Jack growled, turning away from the computer and walking over to Kayden.

"With no-one there to lead them, they're at a strategical disadvantage," Kruger nodded.

"Yep," Kayden nodded as he watched from another screen. Annie's Zord was knocked out of the way, spinning and narrowly missing Bridge's Truck Zord. "They need their Red Ranger to lead them. Without..." he shrugged. "Chances of success are not great," he shrugged.

"But I was their leader!" Jack yelled, turning to the Commander. Kruger didn't look around.

"A true leader earns respect by example," he spoke, and turned around to them. "Did you set that example?" the Commander asked. Kayden's dark eyes watched Jack as he hesitated.

"No..." he finally sighed. "No. I was too busy taking advantage of my position," he admitted.

"You see why they voted against you?" Kayden asked softly, and Jack met his gaze. "The Red Ranger is _the_ Ranger. He's the leader, the one the other's rely on for direction. The one who you believe will get you through the battle and keep the city safe," he told the young man, who remained silent.

* * *

"You're going down!" Z declared.

"Try it!" the monster inside the giant robot challenged. Z cried out as the robot caught her Zord and tossed her back through the air.

"I'm going in!" Sky called, firing blasts from his chopper Zord.

"I'm right behind you!" Spencer soared by, firing a blast himself. However, it bounced off the Robot's armour and narrowly avoided Spencer, who veered out of the way just in time.

"Come on!" Annie leapt over a building, but as she raced towards the robot, it batted her aside.

* * *

"No offence sir," Jack growled as he walked back over to the Commander. "But I don't belong here with you!" he insisted. Kayden watched beside Kat, waiting.

"Where is it that you belong, Cadet?" Kruger asked.

"With my team, sir!" Jack told him firmly. "I'm their leader, I should be leading them," Kruger looked away from him.

"Well you can't very well lead them from in here," the Commander commented, glancing to him. Jack's face lit up.

"No sir, I can't. Thank you sir," he turned and walked away quickly.

"Cadet Landors! You might be needing this," Kruger tossed him his Morpher. Jack caught it, and raised it.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" he Morphed, and leapt through the chute to the remaining Zord.

"At least he finally caught on," Kayden mused as he turned back to the screen.

"Delta Runner One is online," Kat smiled. "I do wonder, Cadet Bradley, why you turned down the offer to join B-Squad with Cadets Bradley and Bly," she glanced to the young man, who smiled easily at her.

"Annie and Spence have been ready to be Rangers their whole lives. I on the other hand, need a little more time before I'm ready for that responsibility," Kayden shook his head, watching the battle going poorly in town. "But I'm more than happy to give a little advice now and again," he mused with a grin.

* * *

"Guys, move!" Spencer yelled, zipping past in his jet as the robot blasted the Zords on the ground.

"We need to move in!" Sky insisted.

"It's not working! We need a plan!" Bridge pointed out.

"I do!" they jolted in surprise as another Zord swerved into view. Two arms emerged from the back of the Zord, moving towards them.

"What is he doing?" Syd groaned.

"Leading!" Jack called confidently. He caught hold of the Pink and Yellow Rangers' Zords.

"Come on!" Spencer pulled the controls and veered back towards the ground.

"Let's get in there!" Bridge nodded.

"All over it!" Sky blasted the robot, but they bounced off again.

" _Rangers, you must work as a team_!" the Commander's voice came over the intercom. " _Combine the Delta Runners to for the Delta Squad Megazord_!" he advised.

"Ready team?" Jack called.

"Ready sir!" the others nodded, and Jack's Zord lifted Z and Syd's into the air, trying to join with them.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Syd asked dubiously.

"Knowing Jack, he'll make it work," Z nodded, confident in her best friend. The three Zords then combined together.

"Let's show him how it's done!" Sky called to Bridge as he landed his Runner on the ground. Their Zords changed as well, allowing the others to connect to them and stand.

"Just wait for us!" Annie called, leaping over another building. Her Runner connected to the chest of the Megazord, and Spencer docked on the back. The Megazord adjusted, and they called on their blaster.

"Delta Squad Megazord!"

" _Well done Rangers_ ," Kruger praised.

"Come on!" Jack challenged as they faced the robot. It fired more shots at them, but they easily dodged, blasting it back. They then managed to get up behind the robot, only for it to throw rubble at them, knocking them to the ground. Their blaster landed on the back of the robot.

"Okay, let's try the sword!" Bridge suggested. They called on the sword hidden in the leg, and slashed the robot. They flipped over it, grabbing their blaster.

"Let's get him!" Jack called.

"Right!" the others nodded. The lights flashed, and they aimed the blaster at their opponent.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Fire!" the Rangers blasted the robot several times, destroying it. "Shutdown!" they cheered, returning their weapons to their holsters.

"There he is!" Spencer spotted the pilot on the ground, getting to his feet. The Rangers leapt down, blocking his path.

"You ain't going anywhere," Annie smirked.

"Who's gonna stop me?" the monster challenged with a growl.

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Six! SPD Gold!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Rangers ready!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

"Defenders of Earth!"

"You don't scare me!" the monster scoffed. Jack then took a step towards the monster.

"Let me do this guys!" he requested. "I owe you!" the Red Ranger grabbed his Delta Blasters, and ran towards the monster.

"He might owe us, but we're a team, we're not gonna let him do this alone," Spencer grabbed his sword, twisting it so it went backwards.

"Let's give him a hand!" Syd cheered.

"I think he's learned his lesson," Z nodded.

"I hope so," Sky muttered, following them. The Rangers ran towards the monster, who blasted at them. They dodged easily, and Jack jumped into the air. He blasted the monster, making him cry out and stun him long enough for Sky to get in and strike his chest hard. Bridge then spun through the air, slashing across his front. Z and Syd struck next, making him stumble backwards, straight into Spencer as he darted past. The monster shrieked as his sword cut up his back, before Annie's boot slammed into his stomach and knocked him back again, leaving him open for Jack to kick him again, flooring the monster.

"Alright, listen up!" Jack yelled as he holstered his weapons and the Rangers regrouped. "He's gonna have to go through us," the Red Ranger told him firmly. "SPD Morpher, Judgement Mode!" Jack held up his Morpher. It flashed, alternating between Guilty and Innocent, before finally flashing in a red X. "Guilty!"

"Ready!" the Rangers called.

"Ready!" Jack combined his blasters. "Fire!" he blasted the monster, and it flew through through the air. "We're taking you in! Containment Mode!" he blasted the monster with his Morpher, trapping it in a containment card.

* * *

"So," Kruger faced the six Rangers led by Jack. "You all trust Cadet Landors to lead your team?" he asked them.

"I admit, his ego a little outta control," Z smiled as she stepped forwards. "But, deep down, Jack's a good guy," she insisted.

"Plus, we couldn't have made the Megazord without him," Syd agreed as she stood beside Z.

"That's true," Bridge agreed as he stepped up. "Or we'd be walking around without a head," the others shot him weird looks.

"He got carried away, but when he needed to, Jack stepped up," Spencer stood on Z's other side, and flashed her a grin when she glanced to him. "I believe he has the potential to be a great leader," he admitted. Adjusting his glasses, Spencer looked at Annie and Sky, who had remained silent. Annie seemed deep in thought, her arms folded, before she sighed and joined the others.

"To ask him to be a perfect leader straight away is asking too much. He's new to SPD, to being a Ranger..." she shook her head. "Like Spence says, he has potential, and he showed that today," she determined. Z smiled thankfully at her, and Annie grinned. Kruger nodded, and looked to Sky.

"And what about you?" he asked in a low voice. Sky was looking at the ground silently, before his blue eyes darted up to look at the Commander.

* * *

The sun was just starting to set as Jack climbed the wooden platform, covered in mud. He stopped to catch his breath, and flick some of the mud from his hands.

"Okay, he's definitely paid off his debt at this point," Annie snorted from the tree she was perched in. Her legs swung freely from the branch, her eyes on Jack.

"If he hadn't, I'd have considered you more ruthless than I thought," Kayden mused from the branch below where he was sitting, leaning against the trunk. "The dude saved your asses out there, and he was willing to do the mud run alone," he pointed out.

"You're too soft Kay," Annie rolled her eyes.

"I think it should at least get Sky off his back, even just a little bit," Spencer stood on a branch just above Annie, his arms folded. His eyes were on the Blue Ranger, who stood watching Jack's performance. "And he's definitely earned the position in my opinion," he added as Jack leapt down, continuing.

"You're soft too," Annie scoffed. Kayden and Spencer rolled their eyes, looking to each other.

"Thunder Ninjas," they chorused, both starting to laugh as Annie went red.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	4. Walls

**Sorry for the delay in updating, I've been struggling with motivation, and I've been insanely busy, between a new job and babysitting, I've barely been at home.**

 **I hope this chapter is worth the wait!  
**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Walls

With a cry, Jack flipped through the air to dodge the green orb that was flying towards him. It bounced off the wall, and Jack held his hand over his shoulder, catching it in the glove he wore. With a smirk, he hurled it at the opposing team. It veered away from Bridge and Spencer, and bounced off the wall. Syd ran up the wall and flipped to avoid the ball as it flew towards her, and Z backflipped when it ricocheted towards her. Spencer stood his ground, his eyes on the ball, and as it bounced back at him, he held out a hand and caught it.

"Show off," Annie taunted from the other side of the room.

"Physics, my stormy friend, you should learn it," Spencer taunted, and flicked it at the wall to his right. It bounced off, straight at Z, who grinned as she ducked to avoid it. It bounced back, and Spencer tilted his head. It flew past, bouncing past Syd as she spun out of the way. It hit the bowl of popcorn beside Sky, who jolted, but didn't look up from his book as popcorn showered around him.

"Who needs that..." Annie caught the orb herself. "When you've got skill?" she asked tossing it to Jack. The Red Ranger caught it, and hurled it at Bridge. It bounced off the walls forcing Bridge into a corner, before hitting him. It bounced off his chest, and the others winced sympathetically.

"Alright," the Green Rangers slid to the ground. "Mental note...walls aren't always your friends," he decided.

"Sorry Bridge, nothing personal," Jack told him, and Bridge gave him a thumbs up.

"Don't worry dude, we'll avenge you," Spencer said, glancing to Syd. She nodded with a grin, and the game resumed.

"How can you do that..." Annie hurled the ball at the ceiling, taking them all by surprise. Spencer narrowly avoided it, his eyes narrowing as he focused. Annie caught it again and had it released in less than a second, bombarding Spencer with attacks and forcing him to move. "When you're already done yourself?" she finished as she tossed the ball suddenly to Z. The Yellow Ranger smirked, and the next thing Spencer knew, the orb was connecting with his shin.

"Sorry Syd," Spencer called to the one remaining teammate. Z then caught it again and grinned, and the three teammates rushed Syd, before the ball hit the Pink Ranger's back. She turned around, trying to look offended, and laughed.

"Nice on guys," Jack high-fived his teammates.

"And to add insult to injury...I broke a nail," Syd pouted.

"Aw," Jack leaned in to look.

"The price of a tough match my friend," Annie patted her shoulder. "Loser grabs the ball," she added, laughing with Jack and Z.

"Do you ever lose at anything?" Bridge asked her as they stood together.

"I've known her my whole life. And no. She never loses," Spencer told him as Syd walked over to Sky, as the ball had landed by his feet.

"Your whole life?" Z asked curiously.

"Unfortunately," Spencer gave a suffering sigh, and Annie elbowed him. "Our mums are best friends, have been since they were...what, our age?" Spencer glanced to Annie, who grinned.

"Little younger," Spencer gave a small laugh, and the other three exchanged looks. Clearly they were missing something. "We ended up spending a lot of time together. And in that time, I've never beaten her in anything. Ever," he told them. "But at least you're not as bad as Ronny used to be," Spencer added.

"Ronny?" Z asked, finding herself more and more curious about the pair.

"Ronny Robinson, his mum worked with her for a bit," Annie explained.

"Wait, you mean the racer?" Jack's eyes widened. "She's incredible! She never loses a race!" he exclaimed. Spencer gave a small laugh, before the alarms suddenly blared and they groaned.

"Come on," Jack called, getting everyone out.

They reached the command centre, where Kruger and Kat were monitoring the attack on the city.

"Go Rangers!" the Commander barked.

"Ready?" Jack called as they grabbed their Morphers.

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"Space Patrol Delta!" Morphed, they entered their chutes and slid down to their Runners.

"Lock them in Rangers!" Jack called, activating his Zord. Spencer soared through the air above, scanning for the robot. "I'm going in for a closer look!" the Red Ranger decided, skidding around a corner.

"You're breaking protocol!" Sky snapped.

"Who asked you?" Jack growled back.

"We should form the Megazord _now_!" Sky insisted, and Jack groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, gimme a break!" the Red Ranger complained.

"Knock it off before I knock your heads together!" Annie snarled to them as the others sighed.

"Yeah...maybe wait to fight until after the fight?" Bridge suggested.

"Fine. Form the Megazord," Jack decided. They came together, forming the Megazord and grabbing their blaster.

"Analyse perpetrator," Sky called.

"Analysing!" they began to scan the robot approaching them.

"I think I found a weakness!" Syd called as she scanned the robot's design.

"You're mine!" it roared, lashing out as it reached them. They blocked, hitting him back.

"He's mine!" Sky called confidently as they held him tight. "I'll take it from here," he decided. The Megazord moved around, twisting the robot's arm.

"What are you doing?" Jack frowned.

"Haha, watch and learn," Sky smirked, calling on their sword. They slashed the robot, who stumbled back and laughed.

"Now it's my turn, losers!" the monster declared, before pausing. "Another time, Rangers!" he then disappeared in a flash of light.

"We lost him!" Jack groaned.

* * *

"I see that Red and Blue are as friendly as ever," Kayden commented with a smile as Spencer and Annie walked into Kat's lab with Syd, Z and Bridge.

"Don't get us started on that," Syd grumbled.

"I hear that, I think Annie really is going to knock their heads together," Spencer agreed, glancing to the blonde who was looking irritated.

"Really?" the doors opened again, and they looked around to see Jack and Sky walk in. "Well maybe if you spent more time with the team, you could enlighten us!" Jack told Sky, who rolled his eyes and scoffed loudly.

"This coming from the guy who used to order us around like he was our boss?" he challenged.

"What? Hey, I was just trying-"

"That's _enough_ ," they stopped, seeming to finally realise that they weren't alone, as Kat spoke up. "Fight the enemy. Not each other," the genius told them, looking angry at them. Spencer and Kayden were watching Annie warily as her irritation had grown. Jack and Sky glanced to each other, before turning to face the cat-like woman. "Good," she said firmly. "Now. The Commander and I have decided to add to your arsenal," she explained, and hit a button on the remote in her hand. The doors next to them slid open, and everyone turned to look.

"Alright!" Bridge laughed with glee as the smoke cleared to reveal two bikes, one in green and the other in red. "Check it out!" he practically bounced over to the new bikes.

"Whoa...looks like Christmas came early this year," Jack grinned as he approached his own.

"Actually Jack, I'm Jewish," Bridge told him. "But I suppose you could say Hanukkah came early," he looked up with a bright smile.

"Let me guess, you had a hand in these?" Spencer glanced to Kayden in amusement. The young man shrugged modestly.

"Cadet Bradley provided more than a hand," Kat smiled at him. "Most of the mechanics were worked out by him. They'll run like professional race-bikes," she told them. Kayden blushed, shrugging again.

"Wait, Bradley?" Jack glanced around to him in surprise. "You guys are related?" he asked Annie. Her eyes widened in mock innocence.

"What, you couldn't tell? But we look so similar," she argued. Spencer and Kayden rolled their eyes.

"We're cousins," Kayden explained, his easy smile returning as he approached the bikes. "I've been working on these babies for the guts of about three weeks, just after you guys became Rangers. They'll purr like kittens and run like cheetahs for you, no sweat," he told them confidently. "And of course Kat gave them some sweet weapons for you as well, so you're gonna kick butt, and look good doing it," Kayden grinned.

"They are so _sweet_ ," Annie breathed as she approached the green one. "Dude, you gotta help me get my bike better, I ain't getting outdone by these two," she told Kayden, who laughed.

"Face it cuz, you may just lose this one," he told her. Annie tried to pout, but was too awestruck by the new bikes. "Careful, you're almost drooling," the Water Ninja teased.

"This is so unfair!" Sky complained from the back. "How come they get new bikes?" he demanded.

"Something wrong with your bike, Sky?" Kat's voice was controlled and dangerous. Sky huffed, but knew better than to argue. The doors opened, and they looked around to see the lab.

"Cadets, I have something to show you," he announced.

"What is it Commander?" Syd asked as they walked over to an empty table. Without speaking, he activated a hologram video of A-Squad alerting them to a trap. Before they could give their position, there was an explosion and the footage ended.

"That was the last communication with A-Squad," Kruger told them. "And we are not able to establish their location. I fear that they may have been...eliminated," he admitted in a low voice. Nobody spoke as the excitement in the air faded. An uneasy feeling in Spencer's stomach grew as he processed the Commander's words, and the message left by the A-Squad leader.

If A-Squad were gone...

They were the next line of defence.

* * *

After their simulation training was interrupted by an alert that Krybots were attacking a diamond transport van, the Rangers headed out to the co-ordinates provided by Kat.

With cheers, Bridge and Jack shot ahead on their new bikes, even leaving Annie and Spencer behind.

"Oh dude, we are so working on our bikes the next day off," Annie told her friend, who laughed.

"Kayden won't have a choice in helping us," he agreed, and they leapt onto the area as Jack and Bridge cleared out the Krybots.

" _Get to the warehouse, we'll handle things here_ ," Jack instructed.

"On it!" Syd called from the jeep as Z sped along. As they raced past the Krybots, Spencer took a breath and muttered under his breath. Sunlight slammed down on the Krybots he passed, melting their wiring and causing them to explode. He rejoined with the others as they headed to the warehouse, and skidded to a stop beside the two crates.

"We have a problem!" Annie called as she flipped up her visor. "We got a timed teleporter on these things," she told the others.

"Pull it off!" Z told her.

"Don't!" Spencer shook his head. "Trying to move it will kick in the failsafe and make it move now," he warned.

"Then turn it off!" Syd told Sky, who fiddled with the buttons.

"I'm trying," he snapped back. "Bridge is the mechanical genius," he reminded her.

"Let me-"

"Look!" Z's gasp interrupted Spencer, and they looked around to see two men on the ground, bleeding badly from burns all over their bodies. Yanking his helmet off, Spencer sprinted over and skidded to a stop on his knees. "We need to call in a medic, or they won't survive," Z said as she joined him. The Gold Ranger pulled off his jacket, throwing it aside.

"They won't live that long," Spencer muttered, closing his eyes and taking a breath.

"What are you-" Z stopped abruptly, practically throwing herself away from the Gold Ranger as his tanned skin lit up like someone had flipped a switch. "Uh, Spencer, what-"

"Don't, I need to focus," he told her, holding his hands over the two guards. The men groaned, and Z's eyes went wide as their injuries slowly began to heal.

"Come on, there's gotta be a way we can get this thing off," Annie growled as the timer continued to count down.

"Outta the way!" they looked around as Bridge and Jack roared into view. They moved aside, and Jack blasted the teleporter, destroying it. They stopped, climbing off their bikes and demorphing.

"Nice one dude," Annie told Jack, who grinned. "You trashed that teleporter," she commented.

"And saved the diamonds," Syd didn't take her eyes off the crates.

"Thanks. Where's Z and Spencer?" Jack asked, looking around.

"There were injured guards, I think Z was calling a-" Syd stopped abruptly as they saw the men sitting up, looking dazed but okay as Spencer's glowing faded. He swayed, and would have fallen into the dirt, had Z not caught him.

"Okay, you really gotta tell me if you have any more powers hidden away," the Yellow Ranger told him seriously.

"But then it wouldn't be a surprise," Spencer laughed in response.

"What happened...?" the guards asked as they looked from each other, to the Rangers as they all approached.

"Unless you want us to take you in for questioning about who you were delivering those crates to, you might want to leave," Spencer advised them as he slowly got to his feet, his vision still swimming.

"And there's probably more of those robots about," Annie added. The men exchanged looks, and got to their feet, hastily leaving.

"What are you talking about Spencer? And what's with the glowing?" Jack asked as Spencer put a hand to his face.

"Let's just say I'm special," he told the Red Ranger, who frowned. "Check out the name on the crates," he added, sounding exhausted.

"Spencer, it was dangerous healing two people at once, are you insane?" Annie demanded as she helped support him. "Even your m-"

"They wouldn't have survived much longer without help," Spencer cut her off quickly.

"Oh man, please tell me this isn't right," Sky groaned.

"What is it?" Syd asked, looking to where the Blue Ranger was looking at the crates.

"The name on the crate..." he pointed to it as the others approached.

"Fresno Bob?" Z looked sharply to Jack. "When the hell did he get back into town?" she wondered.

"Who knows, but it can't be good," Annie sighed heavily. "You guys know of him too then?" she asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Jack looked at her incredulously. "The Scorpion Cartel are the most powerful gang in the city. Of course we've heard of them, the amount of times we got chased out of their ' _territory_ '," the Red Ranger rolled his eyes.

"Those two guards must have been two of his goons," Spencer sighed. "But we can deal with that later," he told them.

"Spencer, tell me, how did you do that?" Jack asked, his voice more controlled. Spencer sighed, meeting his gaze. Even his expression was weak.

"I can harness inner sun energy to glow, and it lets me heal myself, or other people," he explained. "The downside is that it burns my energy, and healing injuries that bad...I'm sorry man but I'm outta action until I get some rest," he apologised. Jack stared at him with wide eyes.

"But I thought you had that shield and attack as your power," Syd commented.

"It's a long story and I doubt I'm going to be able to stay conscious to tell it," Spencer admitted.

"Uh guys, the diamonds aren't safe yet," Sky warned, pointing to the roof of one of the containers nearby. Several Krybots stood on it.

"Run!" Jack yelled, and they ran away from the crates, supporting Spencer as the robots blasted the crates. As the explosion blazed towards them, Sky turned to face it.

"Take cover!" he yelled, moving his arm and creating a shield. He grunted as pressure built against it, but the explosion faded, and his shield broke. He staggered, breathing heavily as diamonds rained from the sky.

"Wow!" Syd gasped as she stood and watched. "I had a dream like this once, only I was a Princess, and-"

"Can it Syd," Z pleaded. "Before I lose my breakfast," she said. They looked around as the Krybots leapt down, beeping and whirring. Catching a diamond, Syd smirked.

"You guys could use some sun," she stepped forwards. "Let's shed a little light on the situation," she held up her closed fist. "I summon the stone!" she called as her fist took on the properties of the diamond. She angled her hand, and light reflected off it, blinding the Krybots.

"Sit this one out Spence, we'll handle it," Jack told him, and the Ninja nodded, sitting down and watching as they attacked the Krybots. He took a breath, trying to stay awake. He felt guilty, out of action, but he knew it was necessary. The men wouldn't have survived long enough for an ambulance. Despite everything, he gave a small chuckle.

He was definitely his mother's son.

Before long, the Krybot's were destroyed, and the Rangers approached the destroyed crates.

"We have a ground full of diamonds, we can't just leave them here," Sky commented as Jack lifted one. "I suggest one of us stay here while the rest of us report back to Kruger," he decided, and immediately Bridge raised his hand.

"Thanks for volunteering," Jack handed Sky the diamond in his hand.

"Me?!" Sky stared at him. "I didn't volunteer," he argued as Annie pulled Spencer back to his feet.

"Okay then Sky," Jack smiled. "Then I order you to stay here," he told him, walking away.

"Perfect..." Sky growled. "Watching the diamonds," he grumbled.

"One man to guard all these diamonds?" Syd asked, her eyes wide.

"Alright, keep him company," Jack decided, and Syd cheered loudly.

"Something tells me she's more excited to keep the diamonds company," Annie snickered as she dumped Spencer into the jeep.

"My bike..." he groaned.

"We'll get it later," Annie patted his shoulder, and he sighed, strapping himself in.

* * *

"What would Grumm want with diamonds?" Z wondered as she stood with Jack, Bridge and Annie after debriefing Kruger. Spencer was back in his room, fast asleep.

"Engagement ring?" Bridge suggested.

"Who'd wanna marry him?" Annie raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not likely," they glanced around at Kat. "Diamonds, if properly converted, can mimic Hilirian Crystals," she explained.

"So Grumm's looking for energy..." Kruger realised.

"Energy for what?" Annie wondered. As if on cue, the alarms went off.

"I'm guessing that," Jack sighed as they found the robot back in town. "Come on," he called.

* * *

Driving through the city in their Zords, the Rangers spotted the robot quickly.

"Activating transformation Delta!" Jack called, and his Zord transformed, connecting with a piece from Z's. "Hope this works!" he gulped.

' _Break for Jack, it's all clear at the warehouse_ ,' Sky's voice came over the intercom. ' _Ready to join you_ ,' he announced.

"Negative Sky, we're engaged in battle! Maintain position. The Troobians are up to something, send Syd as backup," he requested.

"Come on!" Annie's Runner slammed into the robot's back, and knocked it right into Jack's path, allowing him to strike it with his sword.

"Nice shot Jack!" Bridge called.

"You got him good!" Z nodded. However, the robot quickly recovered and blasted at Jack, who barely avoided it. He slashed across the robot again, destroying it. They leapt from their Zords, and faced the alien who had escaped.

"That was uncalled for!" he complained as the Rangers stood together. They were then joined by Syd and Sky, taking them by surprise.

"Your backup's arrived!" Syd called.

"Great!" Jack nodded thankfully. "Sky, I told you to maintain your position," he then turned to the Blue Ranger. "What about the diamonds?" he demanded.

"They'll be fine," Sky insisted. "Look, I'm better suited for battle," he told the Red Ranger.

"That's not the point!" Jack groaned.

"Enough arguing!" Annie snapped at them.

"You can't battle me when you're battling yourselves!" the alien taunted.

"He's right about that..." Jack agreed.

"Okay, thanks," Sky rolled his eyes. "Now surrender," he ordered. The alien gave a laugh.

"Who's gonna make me?" he asked mockingly.

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Rangers ready! Space Patrol Delta!"

"Oh yeah?" the alien tossed a ball into the air, and it exploded into a group of Krybots. The Rangers called on their weapons, and began to fight. Dodging each punch thrown her way, Annie threw powerful punches back and grabbed two, slamming them together before cutting up with her weapon.

Before long, the Krybots were defeated, and the Rangers regrouped to face the alien.

"Don't forget me!" he yelled, grabbing his weapon and attacked. However, he was easily outmatched by them, and Sky knocked him back.

"Got him!" they faced the alien again. "It's time to face judgement!" Sky grabbed his Morpher. "Judgement Mode!" he activated his Morpher, and it flashed between innocent and guilty.

"I'm innocent!" the alien pleaded, quickly changing his tune. "I was framed!" he insisted, before the red light flashed.

"Guilty as charged!" Sky grabbed his blaster. "Delta Max Blaster!" he shot the monster. "We're taking you in," he declared.

"Never!"

"Wanna bet? Confine criminal!" Sky blasted the monster with his Morpher, and he was trapped inside a containment card. "That's how it's done, Blue Ranger style," Sky declared. Annie rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Wonder if Kruger's still shouting at Sky," Annie wondered as she pulled on her gloves.

"Last I checked, yeah," Z nodded as she did the same. On the sofa, Spencer was sitting reading, but looked as if he was about to fall asleep again. Jack had gone to talk to their stubborn Blue Ranger, tired of fighting with him. The rest of them were tired of it too.

"He may have something to prove, but he's going about it the wrong way," Spencer yawned widely.

"You never know, if he stopped being so mean, he could actually be nice," Syd grinned as she donned her own glove. "I mean, he even _smiled_ out there," she commented, and Annie arched an eyebrow.

"Oh, you got a smile out of our stoic Blue, did you Sydney?" Annie slung an arm over her shoulders as the Pink Ranger frowned in confusion.

"Wow, that's impressive," Z sidled up on her other side. "Wonder how you managed that," she wiggled her eyebrows, and Syd went pink.

"Oh please!" she laughed, pulling out of their grip. "Like anything like that happened," she shook her head.

"Oh, I think our Pink has a thing for guys in Blue," Z smirked to Annie.

"What's going on?" Bridge asked as he walked back in.

"Girls are being girls," Spencer rolled his eyes, only for his book to be pulled from his grip. It then hit him over the head, and he pulled away, putting a hand to the injury. Bridge stepped away, looking a little alarmed by the sudden attack.

"Just because you're oblivious, doesn't mean the rest of us are Spence," Annie told him, handing back the book. Z watched her for a moment curiously.

"You sure you don't wanna play Spencer?" she turned to him, changing the subject as Bridge still looked lost. "We're gonna be down a player without you," she said.

"At this rate, you stand a better chance without me," he told her. "Next time," he smiled. She looked a little concerned, still surprised at how tired he was. Every time she thought she was getting to know the young man, he did something completely weird.

"Hey guys, ready for a game?" Jack called as he walked in with Sky, who was pulling on a glove of his own. The others paused for a moment, surprised, before Annie grinned deviously.

"I think I'll stick with my team of Z and Jack," she linked arms with the Yellow Ranger, who looked away from Spencer and grinned as Syd shot her a glare and her cheeks coloured again. The three guys just looked baffled as Spencer sighed, shaking his head.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	5. Dogged

Chapter 5: Dogged

"How do you get so much speed?" Spencer demanded as he walked into the rec room with Annie, his jacket unzipped and hanging open over his gold shirt. "I'm losing time to you every lap," he complained.

" _You_ get too much air time," Annie smirked as she took a seat beside Z, who was reading through the handbook. "And _you_ ," she snatched the book from Z.

"Hey!" the Yellow Ranger protested.

"Need to stop reading this like we have a test coming up. It makes me nervous," Annie told her, and Spencer took it from her, handing it back to Z.

"Don't be afraid to stand up to Annie," he told her, flashing her a smile. He turned to Annie as Z's cheeks flushed. "You're just being rude, Z isn't used to you yet," he scolded his friend.

"Hey, like anyone is used to _you_ yet, night-light. Ain't that right Bridge?" she called to the Green Ranger as he approached with a plate of toast. He blinked at her as Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Tell me, just how do I get too much air time?" he demanded as he took a seat. Annie gave a smug smirk. "Hey, not all of us have moto-gods for family, just tell me," Spencer groaned.

"You two at the track again?" Bridge guessed, his mouth full.

"Testing our bikes after the work we've been doing," Annie explained, grinning at him. "I'm going to get my bike to your speed, just you wait," she promised.

"Hey, it was Kayden who made them, take it up with him," Bridge defended.

"Bridge, do you have to talk with your mouth full?" Z complained irritably, having gone back to her book.

"Toast!" he smiled brightly, as if this solved everything. "Want some? It's buttery," he wiggled his fingers by his mouth.

"Buttery?" Z and Spencer chorused, mimicking him.

"Buttery," Bridge nodded, doing it again.

"Alright," Syd stormed in as the doors opened. "Where is he Z?" she demanded, her arms folded.

"Jack?" Z asked, and Syd's frown grew.

"Sky?" Annie grinned.

"Kruger? Boom?" Spencer suggested as Syd glared at Annie. "Grumm? Are we close?" he asked with a laugh as Syd just looked more and more irritated with each suggestion.

"Peanuts!" Syd finally exclaimed.

"I'm all outta peanuts, but I got some toast, want some?" Bridge offered.

"It's buttery," Annie giggled, and Bridge nodded eagerly.

"No, _Peanuts_!" Syd exclaimed, sounding more and more upset. "You know, the stuffed animal I've had since I was five?" she demanded of her room-mate. Z gave a laugh.

"You've only had that thing for a year?" she asked with a smirk. The other three tried and failed miserably to hide their smiles.

"Very funny," Syd replied sarcastically, not impressed. "Now what did you do with him?" she demanded.

"I didn't take your Peanuts. End of conversation," Z told her firmly, going back to her book.

"But he's gone..." Syd's hostility faded, leaving her worry. "Who would have taken him?" she wondered as the doors opened behind her. RIC walked in, and the rooster noise he made caught their attention.

"Uh...Syd?" Spencer pointed behind her, and Syd gasped.

"No!" the Pink Ranger ran over to the robotic dog, who was carrying a toy elephant in his mouth. Z laughed in amusement as Syd fought to get her elephant back.

"Good dog," the Yellow Ranger muttered with a smug smile.

"Oh RIC..." Spencer sighed, getting to his feet and walking over. He snapped his fingers and pointed down. RIC immediately dropped the toy and lay down. "Good boy," he said as Syd snatched up Peanuts and held him close.

"Not good boy, he stole Peanuts!" Syd exclaimed, glaring at the dog.

"That means he likes you," Spencer smiled at her. "He used to take Annie's-" a cushion hit the side of his head.

"Don't make me out all your dirty laundry, glow-bug," the Silver Ranger threatened, and Spencer laughed, rubbing his head.

* * *

"Hey Annie," the Thunder Ninja looked around, having been leaving to grab some food. "Have you seen Bridge? This got delivered to my room and I think it's his," Syd approached her.

"Not a clue. He was hanging with Spence. Have you checked his room?" the Silver Ranger suggested. Syd shook her head, and the two began walking. "So is Peanuts safe?" Annie asked with amusement.

"For now," Syd huffed. "I don't get what he wants, he keeps following me about," she complained, annoyed.

"I think it's sweet," Annie told her.

"You're only saying that because he's not doing it to you," Syd muttered back. When the reached the sleeping quarters, they found Bridge's door open and neither him nor Spencer about. They walked in, looking about, before realising that the computer was counting down.

"Uh...Syd?" Annie frowned as it hit five seconds.

"Why's it counting down?" the Pink Ranger wondered.

"Hey guys," Bridge greeted as he walked in with Spencer, just as the computer began a high-pitched beeping.

"Look out!" the two tackled the Gold and Green Rangers to the ground, just as toast popped up from the machine.

" _Toast done_ ," the computer announced.

"What was that for?" Bridge asked as Spencer retrieved his glasses.

"Toast?!" Syd demanded.

"We thought the computer was gonna explode," Annie shrugged as she got to her feet, dusting herself off.

"Why would it do that?" Spencer asked curiously.

"Yeah! We just amped it up to make toast," Bridge smiled brightly. "Want a piece?" he offered.

"No. I just came by to give you this," Syd handed over the magazine in her hands and they stood up. Hearing a rooster crow, they glanced down to see RIC nuzzle Syd's leg. "Leave me alone!" she hissed as he made chimp noises. He didn't respond, and she sighed. "It was delivered to my room, I figured it must be yours," Bridge flicked through it and his smile grew.

"Finally! My new issue of Extreme Upgrade! Boom, Spencer and I are gonna upgrade this computer with a super processor...and maybe a waffle iron..." Bridge considered, his eyes lighting up.

"So there's a whole magazine about customising your computer?" Syd gasped. "How can I get a subscription?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh, you can just borrow mine when I'm done with it," Bridge offered, and Spencer nudged him, shaking his head. Syd just rolled her eyes. "Wait, that was sarcasm, wasn't it?" Bridge realised.

"Yes," Syd grinned playfully at him, before glancing to the young man beside him. "Don't tell me you're one of them," she complained to Spencer.

"If it's any consolation, I tried to talk him out of turning it into a toaster at first," the Gold Ranger defended. Syd sighed, and RIC made dolphin noises.

"Stop it!" Syd scolded, and looked back up. "Doesn't this thing ever run out of batteries?" she demanded. "It's always following me!" she complained as Spencer crouched beside RIC and patted him. The robotic dog made sheep noises in response.

"What's the matter? I thought you liked dogs?" Bridge asked, confused.

"Of course I do!" Syd looked offended by his words. "My family raises pedigree Pomeranians," his eyebrows rose as Annie blinked.

"So what's wrong with RIC?" she asked.

"It is _not_ a dog! It's a glorified appliance," Syd told them firmly.

' _Power Rangers, report to the Command Centre immediately_ ,' Kat's voice echoed over the intercom, not giving the other three Rangers a chance to question Syd's icy behaviour to the robotic dog who had taken a liking to her.

* * *

The Rangers all stood together, waiting for the Commander to explain why he had called them there.

"There have been several missing person reports in the Industrial District," the Commander explained. As he walked by, RIC made the noise of a horse. "Not now RIC," he told the dog firmly before turning back to the Rangers. "I want you to investigate," he told them.

"I can check out the area? Ask some questions," Syd volunteered.

"Good," Kruger nodded his approval.

"And we'll monitor for any signs of alien activity," Sky decided as RIC walked over and nudged Syd's leg. The Pink Ranger let out a frustrated huff as he made an elephant noise.

"What is your _problem_ , rust bucket?" she demanded, pushing him away with her leg.

"He just likes you Syd," Spencer told her as he crouched beside the dog.

"Go away!" Syd shouted at RIC, who responded by making a chimp noise and spraying her trouser leg with blue liquid from his nose. She let out a cry of horror. "Stupid robot! Look what he did to my uniform!" Syd complained as the others tried to hide their laughter.

"Get outta the way RIC," Kruger told the dog, who backed away from Syd, braying like a donkey as he backed up to the Commander and raised his back leg. Spencer covered his eyes and Annie had to turn away, her shoulders shaking as the others tried to hide their own laughter.

"Don't worry, it's only coolant," Bridge grinned as Sky and Jack struggled as much as Annie to hide their laughter.

"He uh...must really like you Commander," Jack managed to say, and Sky snorted.

"Why do we even keep that malfunctioning beast around?" Syd demanded as RIC walked over to Spencer, who patted his head. "He's useless! Not to mention totally annoying," she complained. The Commander walked over to them to speak quietly.

"Unfortunately, RIC's technology is practically obsolete," he whispered, and Spencer looked up in surprise. "It will not be long until he will have to be deactivated," Kruger explained.

"What?" all but Syd reacted with horror at the idea.

"Commander, are you kidding me?" Jack demanded.

"Sir, you can't!" Annie's laughter was long gone.

"Well if you ask me, he's been ready for the scrap heap for a while now," Syd shrugged, not bothered by the news.

"Syd!" Z stared at her. "That's cold, even for you," Syd frowned, not understanding as Spencer stared at the robotic dog who had been then before he'd started.

"You heard the Commander, he's outdated," Syd shrugged.

"RIC may not be perfect but he's still part of the SPD family," Bridge argued, trying to get her to understand.

"It's a machine," Syd rolled her eyes. "Not a pet," she told him harshly. "It's broke, so we replace it. If it's a matter of money I'm sure my father would be happy to write a check," she told the Commander, and the other Rangers scoffed in disbelief.

"Whoa, and here I thought she couldn't get any more stereotypically Princess," Annie muttered.

"Whatever people," Syd shrugged. "I have work to do," she walked off, not realising when RIC followed her out.

* * *

"I wonder what Syd's deal is with RIC," Z voiced the thought on all their minds. "He's totally harmless," she shook her head.

"Well, as long as you don't break the law," Spencer grinned, leaning against the wall beside her. "Little dude packs a punch when he has to," he told her.

"You realise nobody says dude any more, right?" Sky turned away from the computer to raise an eyebrow at him.

"I do," Spencer shrugged.

"So do I," Annie nodded.

"Same here," Kayden grinned. Sky rolled his eyes and turned back to the computer. "He's not wrong. RIC was designed as backup, but over the years his programs weren't updated, so he's become more of a mascot more than anything," the Water Ninja explained.

"Can't he just be upgraded, instead of deactivated?" Jack asked, glancing to Kayden. His smile faded slightly, and he shook his head.

"RIC would need to be completely dismantled and all of his programs redone. A lot of his systems just wouldn't be compatible with what we have now," Bridge spoke up. "And we wouldn't even be able to guarantee that they'd work," he added. Spencer nodded in agreement.

"But we can't just let him get deactivated," Annie frowned, not liking the idea. When she'd first arrived at the academy, RIC had followed her around as well, as if sensing her nerves. Because of his affection, she'd settled in well in the academy. She didn't want to let him go without a fight.

"We'll figure it out," Bridge smiled at her. "After we figure out what's going on here," he nodded, and Annie found herself smiling slightly back. She nodded, joining him at the computer to search for any kind of strange activity. Spencer watched her curiously, before adjusting his glasses.

"See anything interesting, Z?" he asked, walking over to stand beside her. Z jolted at his sudden close proximity.

"N-nothing," she said quickly, turning back to the computer. "I'm not picking up any kind of activity in the city. It's quiet..." Z muttered.

"Too quiet..." both Kayden and Spencer spoke, and glanced to each other with grins.

"You two are as bad as Chip," Annie rolled her eyes. "Don't jinx it," she told them firmly.

"Annie's a little superstitious," Spencer whispered to Z with a conspiratorial wink. Z's cheeks warmed at the action, slightly alarmed. Kayden snorted, watching the Yellow Ranger's reaction.

"Shut it, glow-bug," Annie rolled her eyes.

"You don't honestly think that by saying something, it makes it more likely to happen, do you?" Z asked, finding her voice as well as a smirk. Annie went red, before the alarms suddenly blared. She raised an eyebrow to Z, before lining up with the rest of them as Kayden brought up the sector where the breach was happening.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD EMERGENCY!" they morphed and took off.

* * *

' _The disturbance is just ahead of you guys_ ,' Kayden reported through the communication system.

"Right!" Jack nodded, before they slowed to a stop, spotting a group of fleeing civilians. "Looks like trouble," he commented when he climbed off his bike. Nearby, a large green alien in silver armour with a long horn was walking around laughing.

"Hold it right there!" the Rangers called together.

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Six! SPD Gold!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Meet my friends!" the alien tossed a ball into the air, and Krybots burst from it.

"Gear up Rangers!" Jack called, grabbing his Delta Blasters. The others grabbed their own weapons as well, and they ran at the robots. Easily fighting them off, Spencer spun, slashing the Krybots around him, easily defeating them before joining the others.

"There he is!" Z called, and they ran towards the alien.

"Not so fast!" he hurled his weapons at them, but Spencer raised a shield and they bounced off harmlessly. They clattered to the ground, and Spencer smirked slightly under his helmet. However, the alien rushed at them, and his punch broke through the shield, hitting Spencer and knocking him down.

"Whoa!" Jack went down next, and before long, all six were floored.

"You can't stop me!" the alien mocked, and ran off before they could stop him.

* * *

"That dude packed on serious punch," Spencer commented, not looking up from his book. "We need to figure out just how to stop him when he shows up again," he continued.

"You sure he'll show up again?" Boom asked, his voice strained.

"The way he acted, he'll definitely be back," Bridge agreed. "I'm thinking of ways to try and stop him," the Green Ranger stated.

"Uhuh...and you're sure that that's the best way to do it?" Spencer glanced up from his book to see Bridge on his hands, and Boom attempting to do the same.

"Yup! Gravity pulls the blood to the brain, and helps pull ideas down!" Bridge nodded, not seeming affected by being upside down. "You should try it," he told the Gold Ranger. Spencer blinked, and adjusted his glasses.

"I'll stick with thinking upright, thanks," he grinned.

"Bridge, get off your butt!" the doors opened and Syd walked in. She stopped abruptly when she saw the upside down young man. "Uh...head," she corrected.

"What's up Syd?" Spencer asked, amused. Bridge rolled over and stood right-side up as Boom fell over.

"How would you guys like to do the ultimate upgrade?" Syd offered. Bridge's eyes lit up, and he glanced to Spencer, who looked just as interested.

"What's the project?" Bridge asked. Syd led them out quickly, and they followed the Pink Ranger to one of the labs. Spencer whistled when he saw the dismantled RIC lying on a table.

"What happened to him?" he asked, walking over to the robotic dog. Scorch marks lined his damaged chassis, and some of the wiring was showing, badly damaged.

"He saved my life," Syd told him shortly. "The Commander said that most of his parts aren't available any more, so he had to be deactivated. Please, can you do it?" she pleaded. The two looked to each other again, and back at Syd, whose blue eyes were filled with tears.

"His systems are so old, I don't know if we can," Spencer admitted, and Syd's face fell. "But...it's a good thing I know someone who can help," the Gold Ranger grinned.

"Who?" Syd asked, a glimmer of hope in her voice. Spencer pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and dialled a number.

"His creator."

* * *

"This is a lot of damage," Bridge commented as he and Spencer sorted out the damaged parts of RIC, who had been disassembled for them to study.

"But we could learn a lot on how older systems worked," Spencer lifted RIC's head and studied the wiring. "It's fascinating, RIC is almost fifteen now, but his designs were way ahead of their time," he said. Bridge nodded in agreement.

"Careful, you'll make me blush," they looked up as a man with glasses and a green shirt walked in, a visitor's pass around his neck. Bridge's eyes widened, and Spencer grinned.

"Cam, it's great to see you again," Spencer walked over and shook his godfather's hand. "Thanks for coming on such short notice," he smiled.

"No problem, when you said it was to do with RIC..." Cam glanced to the table and shook his head. "Looks like he's been through a lot," he commented, walking over. "Hey, I'm-"

"Cam Watanabe!" Bridge breathed, his eyes wide. "You designed some of the systems here that we're still using! You're just...awesome," he managed to say. Cam chuckled, adjusting his glasses in a manner that was very similar to Spencer's own action.

"It wasn't just me, I had help," the Samurai told him modestly. "RIC was a project we worked on to help with the Ranger project, I'm kind of attached to him," Cam admitted as he looked at the damaged robotic canine.

"Will you be able to fix him?" Spencer asked hopefully.

"I don't know," Cam said honestly. "If we can, I can't guarantee he'll be the same," he warned.

"We have to try," Bridge spoke up. "He's family, we can't just give up on him," Cam surveyed the young man, and gave a small smile.

"You'd be the Green Ranger of B-Squad, Bridge Carson, is that right?" he asked. Surprised that he knew he name, Bridge nodded wordlessly. "Good fit," he murmured to Spencer, who nodded in agreement. "Anyway, Mels is busy with classes and Ethan's over in Zandar at the moment for a conference, so I brought someone else to help," Cam smiled.

"Someone else?" Spencer frowned, before side-stepping to avoid a small blur.

"That's mean Spence!" a 15 year old girl complained, her hands on her hips. She had short black hair and was small in stature, with dark hair and a pout.

"Hello to you too Miko," Spencer chuckled, reaching out and ruffling her hair. "You here to help as well?" he asked as she swatted him away.

"Of course!" the girl nodded eagerly as she fixed her hair. Spencer smiled.

"Good. Bridge, this is Miko Watanabe, one of the best technological geniuses I've ever met," Miko flushed at the introduction. "Miko, this is Bridge, he's the Green Ranger of my team and a tech genius too," Bridge gave a small wave.

"Shall we get started?" Cam asked.

* * *

Annie joined the others of her team, noticing that Spencer and Bridge were still absent as they stood together, having been called by the Commander.

"Many more people have disappeared. This has become a city-wide crisis," he told them gravely. Annie ran a hand through her hair, wondering just how it was happening. The Commander stopped beside Sky, noticing that they were still missing members of the team. "Where are Cadets Carson and Bly?" he asked.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the doors slid open to reveal Bridge and Spencer, both looking like they hadn't slept all night.

"And assorted extra-terrestrials," Bridge included.

"We'd like to introduce you to someone," Spencer grinned.

"RIC version 2.0!" there was a loud bark, and RIC ran in, wagging his tail.

"Yay!" Syd bounced over to them. "I knew you guys could do it," she smiled at them widely.

"We had some help," Spencer nodded as Cam walked in, yawning widely.

"Cam!" Annie smiled as she and Kayden walked over to the man.

"I'm getting too old to pull all-nighters, haven't done it in a long time," the Samurai admitted.

"We gave RIC some pretty sweet upgrades," Spencer told them.

"Yup!" Bridge grinned. "We got the basic CD/DVD player, projector, refrigerator," he popped open the back and pulled out a can.

"Amusing new additions," the Commander stood behind the other Rangers. "I'm sure he'd be great fun at a party, but he isn't an asset to SPD," he told them sternly.

"Actually, that's where I came in," Cam spoke up. "With their help-"

"And Miko's."

"Miko's here?" Annie smiled at the mention of Cam's daughter.

"We've boosted his weapon systems and gave him a couple of extra features," Cam continued, rolling his eyes at their distraction. "He'll be more of an asset to SPD than ever before, especially with the brand new hardware and software we've given him," he explained.

"I gave him something a little extra that'll help us in our battles too," Spencer grinned.

"I upgraded his surveillance systems, and gave him new tracking software," Bridge included. "His sensing capabilities should be off the chain," he told them confidently.

"Then he can help us find more of this stuff!" Syd pulled a container from her belt.

"Oh, uh..." Bridge hesitated.

"We haven't actually had time to test it yet," Spencer explained, and stifled a yawn. "We spent all night putting him back together and making sure he would function," he told them, but Syd held out the slime to the robot.

"Come on RIC," she invited. "Find it," he beeped multiple times before barking loudly and taking off before the doors could open, leaving a hole in the door.

"Oops..." Spencer swallowed as Kruger let out an irritated growl. "We should...probably go after him," he spoke slowly, and the team hurried to catch up with RIC.

* * *

RIC finally came to a stop in the middle of a large field that had been left unattended for a long time. He put his nose to the ground, sniffing as the Rangers pulled up on their vehicles.

"There! He found something!" Syd grinned. "Good job boy!" she cheered, running back as RIC barked. "Come on!" she told the others as she ran past with a shovel.

"Talk about a 180 in attitude," Annie laughed as they watched her dig.

"It's kinda funny watching the Princess slave away like that," Z snickered. Spencer walked over and crouched beside RIC, touching a hand to his head.

"Well it's definitely the place, at least according to his tracking software," he murmured. "But Syd, you can't bank on it being right yet," Spencer glanced to Syd.

"I trust you guys, and I trust him too," the Pink Ranger insisted, continuing to dig as RIC watched her.

Half an hour passed and the mound of dirt beside Syd was almost the same height as her as she continued to dig.

"Come on Syd, give it up," Jack told her as the others approached.

"Just a few more minutes," she told them, wiping the sweat from her face.

"I hate to say it, but he obviously wasn't able to trace the scent," Z said, shaking her head.

"We're not sure of that yet," Syd didn't look up from digging.

"We told you Syd," Bridge crouched beside her. "We didn't have enough time to test the program. He might still be kinda buggy," the Green Ranger warned, and RIC barked. Syd finally hesitated.

"But he seemed so sure," she looked up at RIC sadly.

"Well there's no use in all of us wasting our time out here," Sky pointed out. "Come on guys," he walked off, and Jack shook his head as Annie rolled her eyes. Jack and Z then followed the Blue Ranger back to their vehicles.

"Syd, how about we get RIC back to base, and when we test his systems to make sure they work, then he can try again?" Annie asked as she crouched beside the Pink Ranger as well.

"Come on RIC," Bridge called, and RIC whimpered, walking away with his tail between his legs and his head low.

"We aren't giving up. We're just going to explore some more options," Spencer told Syd confidently as he stood with Annie. Syd didn't reply, shaking her head. She continued to dig, and the two exchanged glances. "I'll stay here, make sure she doesn't dig to the Underworld," he told Annie, who gave a laugh and walked off to join the rest of the team.

* * *

Thunder boomed overhead and rain poured through the city as Bridge stood beside RIC.

"I don't know what happened," the Green Ranger sighed. "Something in his mainframe must have had a glitch," he considered, pacing a little.

"It's okay Bridge, he'll still make a good pet," Z smiled at him sympathetically. Jack walked over and grabbed a can from his back.

"Even if he isn't exactly SPD material," he smirked as he cracked it open. RIC whimpered again, his ears going back.

"I do believe he has the potential to be a valuable asset to SPD again," Cam spoke up, crouching beside RIC. "If we can figure out what went wrong, then we can fix it," he said determinedly.

"Yup!" Miko nodded brightly. "His upgrades are way too awesome to be just a token robot around here," she said firmly.

"Just keep at it Bridge, you'll figure it out," Annie told him. "You and Spence got him working again, you can do this," she insisted, and he nodded.

"Where is Spence?" Miko asked, wondering about their Gold Ranger.

"With Syd, making sure she isn't out there overnight," Annie told her.

"That's Spence for you," Miko laughed, and Annie, Kayden and Cam all nodded in agreement.

* * *

Pulling his glasses off as the rain made them unusable, Spencer watched Syd, whose pace hadn't slowed even once the downpour started.

"You can go back Spencer, I've got this," the Pink Ranger told him, not looking up.

"I'm not leaving you out here on your own," Spencer told her. Syd finally paused, looking up. Her face was flushed from overexertion.

"Why?" she frowned at him. Spencer grinned back as he put his glasses back on.

"For the same reason you didn't give up on RIC. You're so sure, so how can I not back you up?" the Gold Ranger shrugged. Syd stared at him for a moment, before the ground began to shake. Syd cried out as the ground beneath her suddenly gave way, and she fell down into a hole. "Syd!" Spencer peered in.

"I'm okay!" she called up. "But I can't see anything," Syd complained.

"Careful, I'm coming down," Syd moved aside, and Spencer landed easily beside her. He pulled off his soaked jacket, and he lit up, filling the room with light. "This power is pretty useful, huh?" Spencer grinned, and Syd nodded, her eyes wide. Even after seeing it before, it was still alarming to witness. "What is this place?" he wondered, and Syd looked around.

"Look!" she gasped, walking past him to the shelves full of the same green slime. "Oh my goodness...wow!" Syd lifted one of the containers as Spencer looked around. There were shelves full of the stuff. "I knew it! RIC was right!" Syd smiled brightly.

"Come on, let's get outta here," Spencer told her. Syd nodded, setting the container down, and they went back over to the hole in the roof of the cave. "I'll give you a boost," he offered, and lifted the Pink Ranger up so she was able to climb out.

"I'm so going to the spa when this is all over," she declared as Spencer leapt up and caught onto the side. She caught his hand and helped pull him out.

"I could really go for a shower," Spencer nodded, and looked up. "At least the rain stopped," he commented.

"Yeah, _after_ I'm done digging," Syd complained as she grabbed her Morpher.

"You're _so_ not going anywhere," they looked up to see the green skinned alien from before approach. Syd gave a quiet laugh.

"Okay. I'm filthy, cranky, and my new shoes are trashed. Do you really wanna mess with me?" she challenged. Instead of replying, the alien charged at them.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the two Morphed quickly.

"SPD PINK!"

"SPD GOLD!" the attacked, but the alien easily floored them.

"You want more of the same?" he mocked them with a laugh.

"Time for some backup," Syd growled, but as she went to contact the rest of the team, the alien slammed into her again. The Pink Ranger cried out as she was thrown into a wall, and her Morpher landed in a puddle several feet away.

"Looks like you're on your own!" he mocked, firing a blast. Spencer intercepted with his shield, frowning.

"Leave her alone!" he yelled, throwing several energy-balls at him. They connected, and he let out a yell, but managed to stay on his feet.

"Nice trick, but it's not enough!" the alien blasted them again, and the two cried out as they were floored.

* * *

"Maybe there was a glitch in the tracking software, it was completely new for him," Miko suggested as they stood beside RIC, trying to figure out what the problem was.

"It could be," Bridge agreed with a nod. "Maybe if I rewrite it, it could work," he considered, before RIC's head suddenly lifted and he beeped several times.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Z frowned.

"His sensors are probably all messed up," Bridge sighed.

"It looks like something's triggered his surveillance systems," Cam frowned. No sooner had he spoken, did the alarms blare. They looked around to see Syd and Spencer being thrown to the ground.

"They need help!" Jack realised. With a bark, RIC shot off, breaking through the doors again. Kruger growled as the Rangers took off.

"I just had that fixed," he complained.

* * *

"You Rangers are useless!" the alien mocked as the two Rangers crashed to the ground. "Why don't you just give up?" he suggested. Spencer let out a growl and pushed himself to his feet.

"Hardly!" a golden aura surrounded him. "Call to the Beast Inside! Let loose the Bull!" with a bellow, the large golden bull rose from Spencer and charged at the alien, throwing him backwards.

"Everyone thought RIC was useless, but he came back strong!" Syd got to her feet. "If he can do it, so can I!" she yelled, grabbing her sword and rushing at him. She dodged his blasts and struck him, but he knocked her back.

"Time to finish this game!" the alien declared.

"You didn't forget about us, did you?" he looked around just in time for the Bull spirit to slam into him again, knocking him away from Syd. There was a loud howl, and they looked around just in time for RIC to attack the alien, who cried out.

"Didn't see that coming," he groaned. RIC landed in front of Syd, standing protectively. "Who invited you?" the alien growled, pushing himself to his feet. RIC barked and leapt at him again, latching onto his arm.

"Delta Max Blaster!" the two Rangers shot the alien as RIC jumped out of the way. The alien staggered back and fired one of his horns at them, but they leapt out of the way and blasted him again. Syd then slashed him, cutting off his horn.

"My horn! My beautiful horn!" he wailed.

"Oh get over it," Syd rolled her eyes as RIC ran up to them. "Great teamwork boy," she patted his head, and his tail wagged happily. The other Rangers pulled up nearby, and stopped when they saw the floored criminal.

"Looks like RIC sensed they needed help," Z commented.

"You're right," Sky found Syd's Morpher lying nearby. He walked over, pressing it into her hand.

"Thanks!" the Pink Ranger smiled.

"I'm not finished yet!" they looked around as the alien got to his feet.

"I've got this one," Syd went to blast him again, but Spencer stopped her.

"Wait up Syd," he grinned when she looked up at him. "Why don't we let RIC have a go?" he held up a bone-like device.

"What?" Syd frowned, not understanding.

"This is my favourite addition to RIC's systems. Fetch!" Spencer tossed the bone into the air, and RIC barked, leaping up to catch it. When he did, he transformed into a large blaster that the seven caught together.

"How cool is this?" Bridge grinned.

"A Canine Cannon!" Syd smiled. "I love it!" she declared.

"You'll pay for destroying my horn!" the alien yelled furiously, and Syd walked towards him.

"It's you who's going to pay!" she declared, holding up her Morpher. "Let's see what the Judgement Scanner has to say! Judgement mode" she activated it, and it began to flash between the green circle and red cross. It then flashed and remained on the red cross. "Guilty!"

"Let's do it!"

"Canine Cannon!"

"Fire!" they fired the blast, and it slammed into the alien, confining him inside the card. As Syd went to pick it up, they heard shouts from the hole nearby.

"It's the missing people!" Annie realised, and Spencer jumped down to help them out.

* * *

"Another case solved by the brilliant B-Squad," Jack declared when Syd returned from her shower.

"I knew RIC would come through for us," Syd smiled, throwing her arms out. One collided with Bridge's stomach, and he winced, rubbing it.

"But don't forget, you came through for RIC too," Z told her. The others nodded, and Syd flushed.

"And it looks like all his systems worked perfectly too," Annie nodded. "So Bridge and Spencer can stop sulking," she smirked.

"We were not!" the pair chorused.

' _Power Rangers, report to the Command Centre_ ,' Kat's voice echoed through the intercoms.

"What did we do now?" Jack sighed.

* * *

"For extraordinary service in the line of duty," Kruger spoke loudly as everyone gathered in the Command Centre. "A special commendation to our Robotic Interactive Canine: RIC. A most valuable member of the SPD team!" the Commander announced. Everyone applauded as RIC looked up, the medal attached to his head.

"RIC 2.0 is great, but you know..." Syd gave a sad smile. "I kinda miss the old RIC," she admitted.

"Well, we didn't change all his programming," Bridge grinned.

"We left in the things that made him RIC," Cam nodded.

"I can verify that to be true," Kruger nodded, shaking out his foot from the puddle of coolant left by RIC. Everyone burst out laughing.

"We better get back to Blue Bay," Cam said as everyone began to disperse. "I need to get back to my class, and Miko needs to get back to her lessons," he glanced to Miko.

"Thanks again for helping out," Spencer shook his hand. "We couldn't have done it without you," he ruffled Miko's hair, and the Samurai in training stuck out her tongue.

"Of course you couldn't," she said, and Spencer laughed.

"It was no problem, I'm glad I could help," Cam nodded. "I'll see you guys soon, right?" he glanced to the others, and Kayden and Annie nodded as Spencer's grin widened.

"For what?" Bridge asked curiously.

"You'll see," Kayden snickered.

"You still haven't told them, huh?" the Samurai asked in amusement. "Well, you're better at keeping it a secret than your mum," he smirked to Spencer. The Gold Ranger rolled his eyes as the others just looked very confused.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	6. A-Bridged

Chapter 6: A-Bridged

"And despite all out search..." Kruger sighed as he shut off the last recorded footage of A-Squad, who had been under attack. "There's still no word on the A-Squad's fate," the Commander announced gravely. "They're now officially listed as Missing in Action," he told them, walking past the group of B-Squad Rangers.

"Send us," Jack suggested. "We'll find them Sir," he offered as the Commander took his seat.

"Much appreciated. But your services are needed here on Earth," he shook his head. "Be on the lookout for an intergalactic bank robber," Kruger instructed.

"That's it?" Z asked with a raised eyebrow. "No picture of the perp?" she asked.

"It's the same robber who's been terrorising town for the last month, right?" Spencer asked, and Kruger nodded. "Not a single witness report on this guy. They haven't even been picked up on camera," he explained to the team.

"How do you know that?" Syd asked him curiously.

"Spencer spends way too much free time looking into unsolved cases," Kayden grinned as he walked by, handing a report over to Kruger.

"I get curious!" Spencer defended, going red.

"More like it's that hero complex you inherited showing up again," Annie smirked, and earned a glare. The alarms suddenly went off, and they looked up.

' _Unknown vandalism in D-Sector_ ,' Kat reported.

"Rangers, go!" Kruger ordered. They nodded, lining up properly.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and hurried out to find out what was going on.

* * *

People ran screaming as an alien chased them with a laugh, calling for someone to come out.

"Surrender! And you won't get hurt!" he declared, summoning a blade and cutting through the top of a car.

"Same advice goes for you!" he spun around as Jack called out to him.

"Who are you?!" the blue alien demanded.

"SPD RED!"

"SPD BLUE!"

"SPD GREEN!"

"SPD YELLOW!"

"SPD PINK!"

"SPD GOLD!"

"SPD SILVER!"

"Rangers ready! Space Patrol Delta! Defenders of Earth!" the alien scoffed.

"We're taking you in!" Sky told him.

"You amateurs!" the alien taunted, amused by the Blue Ranger's words.

"Who are you?" Bridge asked him.

"Totally hostile," Syd rolled her eyes.

"Just stay out of my way!" the alien ordered, running at them with his blade raised. The Rangers ran to meet him, fighting back, but he was strong, and tossed Sky and Bridge to the ground before streaking past Jack, Syd and Z, cutting across their suits and flooring them. "Stay out of my business!" he snapped.

"No can do, if you're hurting innocent people!" Annie tackled him, and they rolled along the ground. The alien leapt up, and Spencer kicked him in the stomach.

"Enough!" the alien then caught Spencer's punch, and swung him round into Annie. When they fell to the ground, the alien grunted, and ran off. However, Bridge leapt up and cut across his front, making the alien cry out in pain. The two fought until the alien caught Bridge across the stomach. The Green Ranger crashed to the ground, demorphing. "Later!" the alien ran off, and Bridge pulled off a glove waving his hand through the air. He then frowned, looking confused.

"You alright dude?" Spencer asked as he jogged over, letting his suit shatter.

"Fine..." Bridge nodded slowly, still looking in the direction the alien had run off in. Spencer raised an eyebrow, curious.

* * *

"Database ID's him as Tirendon..." Z frowned, unable to pronounce the alien's name as they looked him up. "Let's call him T-Top," she decided. Annie chuckled at the decision.

"He doesn't have any kind of record..." Spencer adjusted his glasses and leaned closer, curious. "That's odd, considering he just ran riot through the city," he murmured, before his gaze was caught by Bridge's legs in the air. "Uh...Bridge?" the Gold Ranger asked slowly.

"Maybe he isn't the robber!" the upside down Green Ranger suggested suddenly.

"You saw the damage he can do," Syd reminded him. "And the MO of the bank robber is _slicing_ into banks," she added.

"Yeah, but he didn't slice into that bank," Bridge pointed out.

"Yeah, because we showed up before he had a chance to," Z rolled her eyes.

"The guy is not evil," Bridge insisted. Spencer and Annie exchanged looks.

"Tell that to the newly made convertible," Syd replied, and Bridge sighed, looking away. "I sound like Bridge now don't I?" she whispered to Z, who grinned.

"I read his aura!" Bridge admitted. "He was yellow-orange...or maybe like orangey-yellow...but definitely not red, cause the orangey side was too yellow to be red, maybe more like a...like a...burnt amber!" he decided.

"Bank robber or not, we can't have him tearing up the city," Kruger interrupted. "You must track him down, and bring him in," he ordered. No sooner had he done so, did the alarm trigger. "A robbery at the Colonial National Bank. Stop him!" he ordered. The Rangers ran off quickly to their vehicles.

* * *

"Looks like our guy," Syd commented as the seven Rangers stood in the doorway of the bank. It had been sliced open to allow someone through, and the place had been cleared out.

"These cuts in the building...they seem to match the others," Sky agreed. Bridge pushed to the front and crouched in the doorway, seeming to be inspecting something.

"Water?" he wondered, stepping inside.

"Excuse me, but are you interested in a witness?" they looked around to see a woman with blonde hair standing at the front of the barriers. Spencer frowned at her.

"Beautiful witness is my department," Jack pushed Z out of the way and approached her. Rolling his eyes, Spencer stepped into the building as the others went over to speak with her.

"Not interested in what she has to say?" Annie asked, leaning in the doorway.

"Not really," Spencer replied. "She'd be the first to see something, and I find witness reports to not be quite as useful as..." he trailed off, running his fingers down the door where it had been sliced.

"As what?" Annie asked, her eyes on Bridge as he studied the witness.

"Ninja training, duh," Spencer's words made her grin. "Huh...that's odd," he murmured. Annie let out a laugh.

"I doubt as weird as Bridge sniffing a dog," she commented.

"I don't know...wait, what?" Spencer peeked out and saw Bridge sniffing the dog owned by the witness, before he was hauled to his feet by Jack. "Okay, that's probably weirder, but check this out," Annie turned around as Spencer returned his attention to the door. "This doesn't look like a blade cut through it. It's more jagged in the markings," he explained.

"You're right," Annie agreed, leaning closer. "It's weird,but kind of familiar, like I've seen these markings before," she admitted. Spencer hummed.

"I know I have, I just can't place it," he murmured.

"Hey guys," they looked around as Jack called out to them. They saw the witness walking off, throwing a strange look back at Bridge before leaving. "We're heading back to base, come on," he called.

"Right," the pair chorused.

* * *

"So! We have a bank that was sliced into, money taken, and a very beautiful eye-witness," Spencer rolled his eyes, his back to the Red Ranger. "I say we know who the bank robber is," Jack decided, looking at the image of T-Top in front of them.

"All the pieces fit T-Top," Syd agreed.

"Except one," they glanced to Spencer, who was looking at images of the banks that had been robbed.

"Oh yeah?" Z raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?" she asked.

"These holes, they weren't cut with a normal blade," Spencer explained as he glanced around at them.

"Then what were they cut with?" the Yellow Ranger asked, looking dubious. Spencer hesitated, and turned back to the images.

"I have no idea," he admitted.

"What do you think Bridge?" Annie asked, glancing to the Green Ranger, who had been quiet since they had gotten back. He didn't answer, his back to them. "Bridge?" she called louder, and he glanced around.

"Oh, sorry guys, I was just reading," he turned around with a smile. "See all the cool artwork on the book? It made me think it was going to be a really great book! But it's not," he dropped it to the ground. "It's lame," he announced. "I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover," Bridge mused.

"Which is good to know," Jack nodded. "If we were talking about that book," his eyes narrowed at Bridge. "But we're talking about a crime!" he reminded him.

"Yeah! So am I!" Bridge straightened up. "Didn't anyone else see anything strange about the witness's dog?" he asked them. "Or the water on the ground at the bank?" he was greeted with blank stares. "Sir? I'd like to run down some of my own leads," he requested to Kruger. "Think my own thoughts in my own way," he said.

"Very well," the Commander nodded. "Anyone want to go with Cadet Carson?" he asked, looking to the others.

"I'll go," Annie volunteered as the others looked away. Spencer hadn't taken his eyes off the images. "I'm curious to see how this pans out," she grinned. Bridge returned her smile, and turned to walk out. Annie followed, waving to Kayden as he walked in.

"Why'd you let him go sir? T-Top is our man," Jack insisted.

"He is?" Jack looked around to Kayden as he leaned on the table. "How'd you know?" he asked with a smile.

"Bank was sliced into, and he's running around with a blade slicing up cars," Z explained. Kayden's smile grew as he looked to the Yellow Ranger.

"Is that it? Lots of guys out there use blades. Spence for one," they glanced around at Spencer, who was running a hand through his hair, muttering to himself.

"There was also an eye-witness," Jack added with a frown. It was really starting to bother him that people were questioning this. "She saw T-Top break into the bank," he told Kayden.

"And that's enough proof for you?" the Water Ninja tilted his head. Jack's eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything else, the alarm went off.

"Well it seems that your 'man' has been spotted down town," Kruger told them.

"Spencer, you coming?" Z called as they went to leave. She looked around to where he hadn't moved.

"I'll catch you up," he told her, not looking around. Z frowned, but nodded, and they ran off to stop T-Top.

* * *

"Okay, what's bugging your brain?" Kayden approached Spencer, who was still looking through the pictures. Kayden had gone to check on Bridge and Annie, who were looking through various books. At least, Bridge was. Annie had fallen asleep. When Kayden returned to the Command Centre, he'd found that Spencer hadn't moved.

"I know I recognise these markings," he told his friend, who stood beside him.

"Huh. Well, they're definitely not made by a blade of any kind," Kayden nodded. Spencer hummed.

"Exactly, but then what has enough force to cut..." he trailed off, eyes going wide. He turned to Kayden, who was looking puzzled.

"What?" he asked.

"That's it!" Spencer laughed, grabbing the older cadet's shoulders and shaking him. " _You_!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Kayden repeated, baffled. "I didn't do that!" he told him. Spencer just laughed again and let him go, running off. "I think he finally snapped," he mused.

Spencer ran through the base, but found Bridge's room empty. The lab and common room were also empty. He ran outside, and found Annie and Bridge outside with a power hose, and stopped.

"Dude...you figured it out too?" Spencer asked as he stopped, breathing heavily.

"Figured what out?" Annie asked. "Bridge won't tell me anything," she complained.

" _Water_ was found at the scene, right?" Bridge grinned and nodded as Spencer directed the question to him. "I finally figured out where I'd seen markings like that before. Remember when we'd spar with Kayden, back when he first started training?" Spencer turned to Annie, whose eyes widened. "I also saw it with Maddie, when I was learning how to control my..." he trailed off, remembering Bridge was there. The Green Ranger tilted his head, curious.

"High pressure water!" Annie realised, saving Spencer from having to explain.

"Exactly!" Spencer laughed. "T-Top ain't the guy," he told them.

* * *

"These flowers are weird..." Annie commented as Bridge sniffed them curiously. The Silver Ranger looked around the quiet neighbourhood. She'd been there maybe twice since moving to New Tech City.

"Can I help you?" they looked around as the witness from before, Diane, approached with a raised eyebrow.

"Hello. I was just admiring your beautiful flowers," Bridge explained with a smile.

"Thanks," Diane said, shifting the dog in her arms before setting him down. Annie watched, wondering just why they were there. Spencer had gone to join the others and try to explain that T-Top wasn't the criminal, leaving Annie to go with Bridge to continue following leads. "I remember you. You're that odd SPD guy," she looked amused. Her gaze flitted to Annie for a moment, but seemed to dismiss her. The Ninja folded her arms, trying not to react. "Catch that robber yet?" she asked.

"Still working on it," Annie's voice was short as Bridge glanced to her. Diane glanced at her again, her amused look rubbing Annie up the wrong way.

"We're getting close," Bridge told her brightly, taking her focus off Annie. "Such incredible flowers, are these indigenous to Earth?" he asked her curiously.

"No, these are stickleberries from the planet Basta...am I under suspicion?" Diane asked him, looking amused still.

"Well, not unless you can slice through metal and concrete using your bare hands," Bridge smiled back pleasantly at her. Annie glanced at him, curious. His smile was less bright and friendly, and a little more calculating. Diane stared blankly at him, and Bridge let out a laugh. "What about these purple flowers?" he changed the topic.

"They're from Fernovia," Diane smiled proudly at the purple flowers.

"Fernovia huh?" Bridge raised an eyebrow.

"Well, good luck with the investigation, I need to finish walking my dog," Diane turned and began walking again.

"Oh cool, we'll walk with you," Annie smiled pleasantly as she and Bridge fell into step beside her.

"You know, speaking of dogs, I can make the coolest balloon animals," he pulled a balloon from his pocket.

"Balloon animals..." Diane spoke dryly.

"Check this out!" Bridge attempted to blow up the balloon, but struggled, unable to inflate it. "I'm a little out of shape...can you blow it up for me?" he requested. Diane rolled her eyes, but did as he requested, holding it out to him. "Watch!" he turned away as Annie leaned against the tree.

"It's impressive," she told Diane as the woman glanced to her. Finally he turned around, revealing the balloon dog he'd made.

"Don't quit your day job," she told him.

"I won't," Bridge smiled. "Have a great day," he told her. "Let's go Annie," he told the Silver Ranger. She chuckled, turning and walking with him as Diane frowned after them.

"Well, if she didn't think you were crazy before, she definitely will now," Annie commented as they returned to the jeep they'd parked nearby.

"Why would she think I was crazy before?" Bridge asked, his innocent look making Annie laugh.

"No reason," the blonde told him, brushing her hair from her face as they began driving back to base.

"Why'd you come with me?" Bridge asked her curious. "I saw the others' faces, they don't believe me at all," the Green Ranger shrugged.

"I was taught long ago not to believe the most obvious answer just because it's right there," Annie told him as she glanced to him. "I know someone who would follow her gut no matter how many people told her she was wrong, and I want to be like that. I see that in you too, I guess," Annie turned her head away, cheeks mottling pink, and Bridge grinned.

"Thanks," he spoke softly, and Annie just shrugged, not speaking.

* * *

Back in the lab, Bridge deflated the balloon animal he'd brought back, letting the air inside into a device to test it.

"Any luck?" Annie asked as she walked back in with food for them both.

"Not yet," Bridge took the toast from her and bit into it as the computer scanned the contents of the balloon. "Did you know that humans breathe in oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide, and plants do the opposite?" he asked, and Annie frowned.

"Come on dude, I might not be as smart as you and Spence, but I do know some things. That's like, second grade biology," Bridge grinned in amusement at her offence. "Why?" Annie asked him.

* * *

"There's no way!" Jack insisted as Spencer put a hand to his face. "T-Top is our guy, and we would have had him, if you, Bridge and Annie hadn't been off on some wild goose chase!" he argued.

"Well for one thing, Jack," the Red Ranger rolled his eyes as Bridge and Annie walked in. "I wasn't off chasing gooses!" Bridge exclaimed.

"Geese," Annie corrected.

"Anyway, I'm still convinced that T-Top is innocent," Bridge explained, and Jack rolled his eyes. The alarm blared suddenly, and they frowned.

' _T-Top is towering over the city_ ,' Kat announced.

"Or not..." Bridge sighed as the Rangers ran off.

"Well, he might just not be guilty of robbing banks," Annie patted his shoulder as they went to get their Zords.

* * *

The Zords hurtled from the base, and formed the Megazord as they reached T-Top, who spun around with a growl.

"Firing energy!" they blasted the alien, who blocked the strikes with his blades. The Megazord flipped through the air and blasted him again.

"This is a mistake!" T-Top warned, running at them.

"No effect," Jack growled.

"Try the super crime scene tape!" Bridge suggested.

"What?"

"That never works!"

"Trust me!" Bridge pleaded. With a groan, Jack did as he suggested, and they wrapped around T-Top, immobilising him.

"It's judgement time!" Jack called, opening his Morpher. "You are being charged with five counts of bank robbery! Activate!" he began to scan T-Top, but it came back as a green circle. "What?! He's not guilty?" Jack looked at his Morpher in shock.

"I told you so!" Bridge grinned.

"But...how?" Jack asked, puzzled.

"See?" T-Top smirked. The Megazord approached him, and they cuffed him, shrinking him down back to normal size. They leapt from the Megazord, and ran over to the alien.

"How come you're not guilty of robbing those banks?" Jack demanded.

"Maybe because I didn't rob those banks!" T-Top snapped back.

"Well, that's a fair answer," Spencer commented. "Just who are you exactly? Why are you here if you're not the robber?" he asked.

"I'm a Bounty Hunter!" T-Top growled. "I'm working undercover, chasing Hydrax, a Fernovian bank robber! And if it wasn't for your meddling, I would have caught her too!" he yelled.

"Bounty Hunters...they think they rule the place," Annie rolled her eyes.

"Well, he's no Vexacus," Spencer grinned, and Annie shivered at the mention of the name. T-Top spat.

"Don't mention that Shark's name! It's been years and we still haven't fixed the damage he did to the reputation of Bounty Hunters!" he snapped. Spencer shrugged to Annie.

"Hold on, Fernovians," Annie glanced to Bridge.

"Right! They're plant-based alien creatures!" the Green Ranger nodded. "This is all starting to make sense," he commented as he approached T-Top.

"That's him!" they looked around at Diane as she stormed into view. "That's the alien I saw break into the bank!" she accused, pointing at T-Top. "Arrest him!" she yelled.

"But he's not guilty," Bridge shook his head.

"How is that possible?" Diane asked in amusement.

"You should know, _you're_ the one who framed him!" Bridge accused. Her smile dropped and her eyebrow rose. "She's clever...or maybe too clever. Or is it too cleverer?" her wondered. "Anyway, she's the Fernovian bank robber!" he told the others.

"Me?" Diane laughed. "What are you talking about?" she tried to keep up her look of amusement, but there was something else underlying in her voice now.

"Bridge, are you sure about that?" Jack asked him slowly.

"It makes sense," he glanced to Annie. "All the evidence Bridge found has led to her," she told them.

"And a lot of criminals try to insert themselves into the investigation to dodge suspicion, while keeping an eye on what we know," Spencer nodded.

"But her?" Jack asked reluctantly.

"Yep!" Bridge turned and walked over to a car, hauling it over his head before tossing it at Diane. She gasped, taking a step back as Jack let out a yell and ran to help. Her eyes then flashed red, before she changed appearance, raising her hand. A powerful jet of water burst from it, and cut through the car. It landed on either side of her, and she remained unharmed as Jack skidded to a stop, stunned.

"Oh no..." Hydrax gulped, realising her slip.

"She's a Fernovian! A plant-based being that has the ability to jettison water under a high pressured stream, enabling them to cut through any object. And you tried to frame T-Top so we'd arrest him, and get him off your tail – er, root as the case may be," Bridge deduced as Jack stared at her, stunned.

"So you figured it out! So what? If you think you're a match for me, let's do it!" she challenged. "I thought I could fool you...after I beat you, I'll get my money back from Broodwing," she decided. "I was followed to Earth by the Bounty Hunter T-Top, I paid Broodwing to get him off my tail, and you all fell for it! Well, almost everyone. Except you!" she glared at Bridge.

"Then I'm the one you have a problem with!" Bridge nodded. "You may be able to fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, and some of all the people...all some of the time, but you can't fool me!" he told her.

"My head..." Spencer groaned. Annie laughed, patting his shoulder.

"I'm gonna bring you in!" Bridge ran at Hydrax.

"No chance!" she hurled a hand up, and the powerful jet of water slammed into him. Bridge went flying through the air, landing hard but getting back up quickly. The two began to fight, with Hydrax dominating.

"Let's get in there!" Sky called.

"No wait!" Jack stopped him. "Bridge can handle it," he said confidently. They watched as Bridge pushed himself back up. They continued fighting, and this time Bridge gained the upper hand, spinning in the air to counter Hydrax's water jet. He then knocked her to the ground, and the others ran over.

"Nice work Bridge," Annie laughed.

"Thanks," Bridge held up his Morpher as Hyrdrax got back to her feet. "It's judgement time!" he declared. She gasped as it began to judge her. "Based on all the evidence I've gathered, I have absolutely no doubt you'll be found..." the light flashed into a red X.

"Guilty!" the Rangers called.

"No!" she gasped.

"Canine Cannon!" Bridge tossed the bone into the air. RIC rushed into view and caught the bone, changing into the cannon. "Target locked on!" he called.

"Don't!" Hydrax pleaded.

"Fire!" they blasted her, and she was hurled through the air. "That did it," Bridge grinned, approaching her. "Time for confinement," he held up his Morpher.

"But-" before she could try to stop him, Bridge activated the containment mode, trapping her in a card. The Rangers demorphed, and Bridge lifted the card.

"Alright, you were right, I was wrong," Jack admitted as they approached him. "How'd you figure all this out?" he asked curiously.

"It was easy," Bridge told him. "Water on the ground at the bank, but it didn't rain. A beautiful witness who was walking her dog down town when she lives in a beautiful neighbourhood, _and_ wearing high heels, didn't make any sense," he explained. As he continued rambling, the others crept off, leaving him alone.

* * *

"Broodwing..." Kruger scowled at the mention of the name. All but Jack and Bridge were gathered around the console, looking at the image of the large bat-like alien. "A very evil creature that sells weapons, soldiers and robots to anyone who can afford it," he growled.

"Sounds like a bad guy," Z commented, glancing to the others.

"He only cares about the money he makes, and nothing about the destruction that follows," Kruger shook his head.

"I just had a bad thought...what happens if he hooks up with Grumm?" Sky asked.

"My guess..." Kruger growled. "He already has."


	7. Sam Part 1

Chapter 7: Sam Part 1

Taking some much needed downtime after a hard morning of training, the Rangers were relaxing in the common room, each doing their own thing. While Syd painted, Sky was sitting with a deck of cards, both ignoring Bridge, who was balanced upside down, seeming to be deep in thought. Jack was grabbing a drink as Z danced around to music playing through her headphones, while Spencer was reading and Annie was meditating beside him.

"I've got it!" Bridge interrupted the peace. "This is brilliant," he frowned, rolling backwards and landing on his feet.

"What is?" Jack asked.

"It's no coincidence! That we're all here!" Bridge exclaimed, and looked around at the others. Jack looked lost, while Sky didn't bother looking up from his cards. Z pulled off her headphones, and Spencer lowered his book as Annie cracked one eye open.

"Sorry man, I think you lost it," Jack grinned as he approached.

"No, think about it! We all have powers, we're all here, at the Academy, Power Rangers?" Bridge listed off, turning to Syd. "The odds are astronomical!" he exclaimed.

"Maybe Kruger picked us because we had these powers," Syd suggested.

"Yeah, but why us?" Bridge asked her. Syd stared blankly, before shrugging.

"I'm confused," she decided.

"Hello? Bridge is talking?" Sky laughed as he got up.

"Back off Sky, I understand what he's saying!" Z defended the Green Ranger. "How did we get these powers? And why is it that we all ended up here? At SPD?" she asked. Annie opened both eyes, and she and Spencer exchanged looks. "Is it part of some bigger plan?" Z wondered as the Gold and Silver Rangers watched. Spencer had to admit, he was curious as to where their powers came from. Unlike himself and his siblings, as well as others he knew, their parents weren't part of the Dino Thunder or Overdrive Power Rangers, so didn't inherit their powers that way. Besides, if they had, they'd have known where their powers were from.

"Our powers are no big mystery," Sky stood opposite her. "Face the facts! Every one of us, especially _you_ , is a freak of nature!" he growled, taking them all by surprise.

"Dude, back off," Spencer was on his feet and in front of Sky in a second. "I don't care what you think of yourself, but you don't have the right to talk to her like that," he defended, meeting Sky's glare with his own.

"It's okay Spencer," Z touched his arm. Spencer scoffed, turning away.

"I guess. He ain't worth the energy," he decided, making Sky's glare intensify.

"Exactly Spence, chill," Annie patted his shoulder, shooting Sky a glare. "You're better than that," she told him. Spencer ran a hand through his hair. The alarm went off before Sky could challenge them, and they looked up.

' _Rangers, report to Delta Bay_ ,' Kat instructed.

"Ready?" Jack called.

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and headed to the Command Centre, jumping down the chutes to their Zords. Heading through the city, they aimed for the robot stomping through the city.

"Bugglesworth is my name, trouble is my game!" the high-pitched, nasally voice of the monster inside, echoed through the city.

"Stop! SPD!" he looked around to see the Zords coming towards him.

"Oh goodie! A new game!" the monster laughed, and turned to the building. The robot flashed, and the building disappeared, along with its inhabitants.

"This is your last warning!" Syd called.

"High-beams!" Z used the lights on her Zord to blind Bugglesworth, and the others began to attack. Bridge incapacitated the robot, but as Jack went in to finish it off, the air seemed to warp around the robot. "It's that kid!" Z spotted a small boy with red hair holding a hand up towards the robot. The robot then vanished, just before Jack reached him.

"Where'd he go?" Jack yelled.

"He was here, right? I mean, we saw him!" Syd frowned.

"Just how did he vanish?" Spencer wondered. "Did that kid do it?" he muttered.

"Well...this could be a collective dream, and we're all still sleeping," Bridge suggested. Z's Zord stopped, and she leapt out, running off.

* * *

"What do you mean, there's no trace of the building or the office workers?" Kruger demanded when the Rangers reported back. "Have they become invisible?" he asked. "Impossible!" the Commander shook his head.

"And dogs can talk," Jack muttered to Syd, who tried to hide her amusement when Kruger growled. "I mean, but it did, Sir," he corrected.

"Sir, with all due respect," Kruger glanced to Spencer as he adjusted his glasses. "It isn't an impossibility for it to become invisible, but in this instance, it isn't the case. It's more like the building was...taken," the Gold Ranger explained.

"I see..." Kruger frowned. "And where is Z?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Sir," Jack admitted.

"I am, Sir," Sky spoke up, and Annie rolled her eyes. "She ran off during the fight, and we haven't seen her since," he told Kruger, ignoring Jack's elbow as it jabbed into his side. Kruger growled lightly again, seeming to fall into thought.

* * *

"Hey Spencer, are you going to do any work? Or just sit there?" Sky asked, noticing the Gold Ranger in the corner as they worked on locating the building.

"Shove it, Sky," Spencer muttered as he kept his eyes closed. Sky glared at him, but kept focus on the computer in front of him.

"Any trace?" Annie whispered as she approached. Spencer's green eyes opened, and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Not an ounce of magic in the area. I didn't sense any at the time either, so whatever this dude did, it wasn't a magical thing," Spencer told her. Annie frowned.

"Then how did he just move a building?" she wondered. Spencer shrugged.

"Are you two done whispering?" Annie scowled at Sky as he spoke again.

"What's your problem? Do you need a hug?" she demanded, fed up of his snippy attitude.

"I want to know what Spencer meant earlier, when he said it wasn't an impossibility for the building to become invisible," Sky pointed at Spencer, who raised an eyebrow. "There are too many things that don't make sense about you, Bly, and I want some answers," he walked over to Spencer, whose head lifted as he faced off against the challenge.

"You create shields, I channel sun energy, Bridge is an empath. Jack can pass through walls, Z clones herself, and Syd can absorb any material in her hands. And you think a building being invisible can be impossible?" he challenged. "Anything's possible, as long as you believe," Spencer told him. Sky snorted in disbelief.

"You realise how garbage that is, right?" the Blue Ranger told him. Spencer didn't even blink.

"There are bigger things in the world than your ego, Tate, as ridiculous as that may seem," the other Rangers had to hide their laughter as Sky's face coloured red. "You just need to open your eyes. We aren't freaks. You just don't understand the bigger picture," silence fell in the command centre, before the computer beeped.

"Is that...?" Syd blinked rapidly as they turned to the screen.

"Better contact Z," Annie told Jack, who nodded.

* * *

Meeting up with Z, the Rangers arrived at the beach, climbing over the rocks as they looked out at what had been left in the sea.

"Amazing..."

"Incredible..."

"Unbelievable..."

"Awesome!"

"I'm hungry," the others looked at Bridge for his sudden declaration.

Managing to get inside the building, the Rangers looked around each floor. Spencer shivered as they stepped into one of the offices.

"These offices were full of people, now there's nothing," the Sun Ninja commented as he looked around.

"This is really creepy...where did everyone go?" Syd wondered.

"Look at this," Z crouched and lifted a doll from the ground. Jack spotted another on a desk, and lifted it up. "This is getting weirder," Z commented as she held it out for Spencer to look at. He reached out and poked up, and another shiver ran down his spine.

"You think...?" Annie murmured to him, noticing the action. Spencer shook his head.

"Something weird's going on with it, but not magic," he told her.

"Hey Bridge, check and see if you can get anything from it," Annie glanced to the Green Ranger, who approached and pulled off a glove. Taking a breath, he gripped the doll, and jolted back with a cry. He sagged, and Spencer caught him before he could fall, grabbing the doll from him. He shuddered again at the strange darkness that flowed from it.

"There's a reason why these dolls are so lifelike guys," Bridge breathed heavily.

* * *

The Rangers walked back through the base, listening to Z explain where she had run off to.

"I'm telling you. It was the little boy who controlled the robot," she told them firmly when they looked sceptical.

"You can't prove that!" Sky told her. "You just saw a boy _near_ the robot," he pointed out. "Doesn't mean he was controlling it," the Blue Ranger stated as they all sat down at the console in the centre of the room.

"And what about stopping the footsoldiers from attacking me? Was it just a coincidence that he was there too?" Z growled at him.

"Enough," Kruger stopped them from continuing. "Can someone tell me what we know so far?" he asked.

"A robot attacked the city."

"A building disappeared."

"But then it reappeared at the beach, 20 miles away, and all the people inside the building disappeared."

"Except two, which were somehow changed into little figurines, and left behind."

"Which we turned over to Kat to analyse."

"And that small boy is somehow involved in all this!" Z insisted. Sky rolled his eyes.

"Speculation!"

"It's more than speculation!" Z told him angrily. "That boy has powers. Just like you. Just like me. Just like we all do," Z looked to the others. Spencer and Annie looked at each other again.

"And what if he does have powers?" Kruger asked.

"Then we all have lots in common, and we should-"

"Correction!" Sky snapped at her. "If he does have special powers, that's _all_ we have in common with him," he said.

"If he does, and he helped this robot..." Annie shrugged, looking annoyed at agreeing with Sky. "Then he's a criminal," she stated.

"What if he doesn't know better?" Z demanded. Annie shrugged again, looking away. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, she looked up and met Bridge's gaze. He watched her curiously for a moment, before smiling, but Annie didn't feel reassured by it. More nervous than anything. The alarm then blared loudly.

' _Robot is attacking in the city. Quadrant 12. Power Rangers emergency_ ,' Kat announced.

"Let's go!" Jack called.

* * *

"Stop! SPD!" the monster inside the robot let out a whine as he heard Jack's yell. He looked around to see the Rangers approaching in their Zords.

"Not you again!" he whined.

"Megazord time!" the Rangers formed their Megazord and aimed their blaster at him. The robot fired a blast, and the Megazord flipped through the air, countering and knocking the robot back.

"Let's cuff him!" Sky called, only for the cuffs to disappear from their gasp, and reappear around their wrists, stopping them from moving. Bugglesworth laughed, blasting them before turning away.

"Time to get more people!" he sang.

"The boy!" Z spotted the little boy on the ground, using his powers again. "I knew he'd be here!" the Yellow Ranger unstrapped herself and leapt down.

"Z!" Jack yelled as she demorphed and ran after the boy when he made a run for it.

"Gotta get rid of these cuffs," Sky growled, pressing the button. The cuffs vanished, freeing their arms, and they grabbed their sword. Bugglesworth let out a cry, and his robot leapt behind a building, tunnelling away before they could stop him.

* * *

Z let out a frustrated cry as she emerged from under a small alcove, realising that the boy had escaped her again. She pushed herself back to her feet, looking around, and started running again. Turning a corner, she ran straight into someone, and with a cry, they both crashed to the ground.

"Sorry, I shoulda been-Kayden!" Z realised who she had bumped into, and he let out a laugh.

"My bad, wasn't looking where I was going," Kayden got to his feet and held out his hand. "Just where were you running off to in such a rush? Last I checked the Megazord battle was that way," he gestured in the opposite direction. Z took his hand and let him pull her to her feet.

"I'm chasing this kid, he's involved in all this," she explained. "But I lost him, _again_ ," she groaned.

"I see," Kayden remained as unreadable as ever, and gave a smile. "No problem, I'll help you look," he decided, making her frown.

"You will?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Sure. Now, I'm not as good a tracker as Annie, but I'm pretty good. Come on," Kayden smiled, starting to walk. Z stared after him for a moment, before following.

"You guys...you, Spencer and Annie, there's something different about you," Z accused.

"Is there?" Kayden asked innocently.

"Yeah!" Z nodded. "It's stuff like how you react. Nothing seems to phase any of you," she said. Kayden led the way into the park, following small, fresh tracks through the trees.

"Spence and Annie, they keep a lot to themselves. I think it's just how we were raised. But give them time, and you'll learn about us," Kayden smiled at her. Z frowned, not understanding what he meant.

"About them actually..." Z started, and Kayden glanced to her. "Are they together?" her question made Kayden burst out laughing.

"Oh _god_ no," he laughed, shaking his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," he managed to calm himself when he saw her frown.

"It's just sometimes, how they get on, it's like..."

"Like there's something more?" Kayden finished. Z nodded, awkward. "They're best friends, have been since we were little. I mean, they fought like cats and dogs at first, but eventually became friends. They know everything about each other, and with Ari and Zoe being so close, they picked up on that. Like I said, they keep things to themselves, so they talk to each other about it, to make sure they don't bottle it all up," Kayden explained, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to explain it. "From what I've heard, they're pretty similar to how Spencer's parents were before they got together, but they're in no way interested in one another," he told her.

"Right..." Z wasn't sure if that cleared it up for her, or just made it more confusing.

"Spencer's pretty oblivious. I think I've seen him show interest in a girl maybe twice, and he'd never notice a girl flirting with him unless they straight up told him," Kayden told her, making Z look at him. "Most of the time he's more interested in his training or, y'know, being a hero," Z couldn't help but laugh as Kayden grinned.

"That does seem about right," she agreed. Kayden suddenly caught her arm, stopping her. "What's-" he shushed her.

"The kid's up ahead, talking to some doll," Z raised an eyebrow. "You go ahead, I'll let the others know where you are," he grinned at her.

"You sure?" Z asked in surprise. Kayden nodded.

"Kid's way too untrusting to let two of us approach. Best you handle it. Good luck," Kayden winked, disappearing off before Z could thank him. She wondered just how he'd found the boy as well, but pushed that thought aside as she approached him.

* * *

"Kayden said she's just up ahead," Jack gestured, and the Rangers ran through the park, spotting Z talking to the boy.

"Hey Z!" the two looked up quickly. The boy's eyes widened in horror and fear.

"No, stay back!" Z told them quickly.

"You lied!" the boy yelled as he backed away from them. "You have friends!" they watched as he held his hand up, and several bins beside him vanished. He then moved his hand above the Rangers, and the bins reappeared.

"Look out!" Z cried, and they dove out of the way. "Sam..." she breathed when they realised he was gone.

* * *

Sitting cross-legged on the console, Bridge hummed as he held the doll that had been talking to Sam in his hands.

"Got it!" they all jumped when Bridge spoke. "He's at a junkyard by a river," he declared. "And I saw the word Gold," he added.

"Gold's Junkyard, down by the river?" Sky rolled his eyes.

"You know Sky? You _are_ good," Bridge told him.

"Let me see this thing," Spencer took the doll from him, and shivered. "Urgh, bad juju," he muttered, and it shone purple. A shock pulsed out, and Spencer was thrown backwards as the doll flew through the air, vanishing before it hit the ground.

"What was that about?" Syd asked as Spencer groaned.

"Guess it didn't like me too much," the Gold Ranger pushed himself up.

"There are bigger things at work than just this boy," Kruger told them as he approached.

"Commander, I need to help him before he gets himself into bigger trouble," Z told him, standing quickly.

"I'm going with you," Jack told her.

"No, I-"

"Jack will go with you. Go!" the Commander ordered, and the two hurried out as Kat and Boom walked in.

"Commander, we need to talk about this," Kat told him as the Sirian looked around. "I was looking through the personnel files of the building. These two had identical twins working in the same building," she explained.

"Someone is collecting people, Sir!" Boom spoke up, holding the two dolls in his hands. "By turning them into dolls!" he exclaimed. "And since they had one twin for their collection, they didn't need the other!" he explained.

"Well that's creepy," Annie declared. "I hate dolls..." she muttered.

"Says the girl named after one-ow!" Spencer yelped when Annie punched his arm hard, shooting him a dark glare as he grinned.

"And there's more. I've been monitoring the vital signs on the dolls..." Kat trailed off when Boom started playing with them. The feline alien sighed heavily, closing her eyes. The Rangers giggled at it.

" _Boom_!" Kat spoke sharply. "Sir, I think we need to do something. And fast," she told him worriedly as Boom lowered the dolls. Spencer frowned, and approached.

"Sir, can I try?" he requested. All but Annie, Kruger and Kat looked confused by his request.

"Very well," the Commander nodded, and Boom handed the dolls over to Spencer. "Be vigilant. As soon as this robot returns, you will need to as well," Kruger told him.

"Yes sir," Spencer nodded, running out of the command centre.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	8. Sam Part 2

**Still working on getting over my blocks on this story, but after finishing watching Dino Super Charge, I've gotten a little inspiritation back.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Sam Part 2

Spencer jogged through the park, looking around for somewhere secluded as his hand occasionally went to his pocket, where the two people who'd been turned into dolls rested.

"You really think this is a good idea? I feel bad," Syd commented quietly to Sky as they crept after him, hiding behind the trees.

"You wanna find out what he's hiding or what?" Sky asked her with a raised eyebrow. The Pink Ranger sighed, but didn't argue. Both were curious as to what Spencer was up to. He was the most closed off of the team, and the most different.

"Maybe his powers are just like ours Sky," Syd spoke up after a moment.

"And that giant bull spirit he summons?" Sky challenged as they darted behind another tree. Syd frowned. He had a point. They'd seen Spencer summon a massive spirit, but he'd just dodged their questions when they'd asked about it. Peering out, Sky saw Spencer disappear into the thicker trees, and he darted after him. But when he reached where Spencer had been, the Gold Ranger was gone. "Dammit, where'd he go?" he growled, looking around as Syd caught up.

"Mr. SPD swearing? Things must be bad," she couldn't help but taunt, earning a cold stare in response.

* * *

Emerging from a tree in an entirely different place, Spencer let out a sigh. He couldn't believe Sky and Syd had followed him. He was just glad he had gotten away. Like he needed to explain travelling via trees to them too.

Beginning to walk, he looked around, recognising the area immediately. He couldn't help but smile softly at the familiar forest, which he hadn't seen since joining SPD. He'd just been too busy to visit.

"Spencer!" he jumped, leaping backwards with a startled cry when Phineas suddenly swung upside down.

"Phineas, seriously," after his heart stopped trying to escape his chest, Spencer couldn't help but laugh. "How do you keep sneaking up on me?" he complained.

"Oh, sorry," Phineas grinned apologetically, showing off his layers of teeth. He jumped down, and embraced the taller man in a reluctant hug. "I just got excited to see ya, it's been so long," he told the Ranger.

"Sorry about that Phineas. Been pretty busy," he explained with a shrug.

"Ah yeah, your mum used to get busy like that too," Phineas chuckled as they began walking towards Rootcore. "Nice uniform by the way. Love the colour," the Troblin grinned. Spencer laughed, going a little red as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"No, Krista, that's too much-" there was a loud explosion and a cry of alarm as Spencer walked into Rootcore, and shook his head.

"I thought you were over the experiments, Uncle?" Joe, whose face was now streaked with soot as his daughter laughed uncontrollably, looked up in surprise to see his eldest nephew standing in Rootcore, wearing the gold and grey uniform of SPD.

"Spencer!" Krista smiled brightly when she saw him. The young woman in her twenties set down the vial she had been holding, going to hug him. "What are you doing here?" she asked the young man who was a stark contrast to his cousin, whose long blonde hair was tied back in a messy ponytail as her blue eyes still shone with laughter at her dad.

"Good to see you kid," Joe walked over, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "As for that...less of an experiment and more trying to teach Krista more potions," he grinned, and Krista flushed as Spencer laughed. "What brings you here kid?" Joe asked.

"Well..." Spencer pulled the two dolls from his pocket.

"Little old to be playing with dolls, don't you think?" Krista asked in amusement.

"They're not dolls," Spencer told her with a shake of his head. "Well...they are now, but they weren't always," he explained, and saw the confused looks pass across both Joe and Krista's faces. "They're humans who got turned into dolls," he clarified.

"Humans into dolls?" they looked around to see Claire and Udonna approach, looking curious. "Odd, I sense no magic from them," Udonna commented, and Spencer passed them over. She winced a little, much like he had done. "However, there is darkness within them," she held them back out to Spencer.

"I'm not too sure how they got turned into dolls, but their life forces are getting weaker by the hour. Is there any way to change them back?" Spencer asked hopefully. Udonna looked thoughtful.

"There may be, but it would require a great deal of power," she mused.

"I'll call Nick, he should be able to help," Claire turned, going to call her cousin as Spencer looked down at the dolls.

"Why did you not go to Ari about this?" Udonna asked curiously. Spencer gave a small shrug.

"I don't want..." he started, trailing off.

"Her help?" Joe finished for him. Spencer nodded, looking away.

"It's stupid, I mean I came here, but..."

"It's not stupid at all," Udonna smiled at him gently. "You wish to try and help them yourself, that's admirable," she told him, and Spencer blushed, shrugging again. Joe couldn't help but chuckle at his attitude, seeing Ari in him a great deal, especially when he was embarrassed. While Spencer didn't seem to think so, he'd gained a lot of his father's confidence. "Just remember that you can rely on people for help," the Snow Witch reminded Spencer.

"Especially your mum. She's kind of an expert on helping people," Joe laughed, and Spencer nodded, smiling himself now.

* * *

"Seriously, I thought you were a space cop now. How have you ended up dealing with people turning into dolls?" Nick commented as he rested the two dolls on his lap, sitting cross-legged on the table.

"SPD Nick," Spencer rolled his eyes. His jacket had been discarded, hanging over a chair and leaving Spencer in his gold tshirt.

"Isn't SPD just space cops?" he sighed, glancing to Nora, who was sitting nearby with a book. The young fire witch, who was a little older than Teddie and Chase, grinned at him.

"No. Shove it Nora," Spencer told her shortly. Nick rolled his eyes at the pair, who bickered as much as he and Ari used to.

"You're mean!" Nora pouted.

"How about going back to your studies, and we'll talk when you can beat me in a duel," Spencer smirked at her.

"I'll beat you right now," Nora slammed the book down and stood up. As she held up her hand, Nick cleared his throat, and she paused. Spencer's smirk widened as she glared at him, slumping back down in her seat.

"I don't know what kind of power did this..." Nick looked down at the dolls in his grasp. "But it's strong," he closed his eyes, and a red aura surrounded him, making him look as if he was on fire. The temperature of the room rose as well, and all but Nora were affected by it. The dark haired girl just brushed her hair aside and turned the page of her book. Spencer slumped into a seat, ignoring the smug look Nora shot his way.

After a few minutes of intense heat, Nick's eyes opened and he gave a sigh. The magic in the room faded, and a shiver ran down Spencer's spine at the sudden temperature drop. This time, Nora was affected, grabbing her jacket.

"Sorry kid, whatever it is, it's rejecting my magic," Nick apologised, holding the dolls out. Spencer sighed and took them back.

"It's okay, I thought it was better than doing nothing. Thanks," Spencer gave a small smile to try and hide his disappointment. Nick was the most powerful Wizard of their time, and even he couldn't break through it.

"If you defeat the one responsible for it though, it should be reversed," he looked up as Nick spoke, grinning. "That's generally how it works. Was the same for us, it's how we unpetrified Maddie when she got turned into a statue," Spencer's smile widened slightly at the hopeful words. "On the plus side, I did manage to give them a little more power. Their life force should take a little longer to drain," the Fire Mystic told him.

"Thanks Nick, I appreciate the help," Spencer shook his hand, grabbing his jacket. "I better get back then, help kick this dude's butt," he shrugged on the jacket and slipped the dolls back into his pocket. The others called out goodbyes, and as Spencer headed to the exit, he almost bumped into Althea.

"Spencer!" the Lunar Knight broke into a wide smile at the sight of her grandson, and pulled him into a tight hug. Spencer laughed, hugging her back. So much for getting back any time soon.

* * *

"You're different," Annie jumped at Bridge's soft accusation. She looked around quickly, her eyes wide.

"I am?" she asked, surprised. Bridge nodded, smiling brightly.

"You're not like the rest of us. I mean, about having these powers," he told her in a confident voice, sitting beside her in the Command Centre.

"Do tell, detective," once she recovered, Annie grinned back at him, leaning on the console to watch him.

"You said before, that the way you cloned yourself, like Z does, it wasn't a power, but a technique," Annie was surprised. She hadn't thought he'd been listening. "Then earlier, when Spencer and Sky were butting heads, Spencer listed all our powers, but left you out," Bridge continued. "But you still have power, there's something different about you. You and Spencer fight with different techniques to the rest of us," he accused her.

"You're right," Annie confirmed, and Bridge's eyes lit up with excitement. He knew it. "I am different. I never pretended to have powers, and let's face it, Spence has enough powers for the pair of us," both laughed at her statement. "As for how I fight, I went to a special school. I kinda grew up at one though, both my parents are martial arts Sensei's," she told him.

"How does sparring with Kayden come into it?" she jolted at his curious question.

"Spencer really can't keep his mouth shut, huh?" Annie wondered, watching the Green Ranger. "Well..."

"No luck," Spencer announced as he walked in, setting the dolls down on the console. Seeing their expressions as they looked at him, he blinked, tilting his head slightly. "What?" he asked. Both started laughing, and he frowned. "You two are weird," he muttered, setting dolls down on the console and taking a seat.

"Unless we figure out something soon," Sky spoke as the rest of the Rangers walked in. "We might all be living in a dollhouse," Syd gasped as she sat beside Jack.

"I love dollhouses!" she smiled. When everyone looked at her, she deflated. "Sorry," she apologised.

"Any luck with the kid?" Spencer glanced to Z, who sighed and shook her head.

"And we're also dealing with an Orange-Head Robot," Jack announced. "Toughest we've faced. We almost didn't make it off that cliff," the Red Ranger admitted, glancing to Z.

"I'm telling you. Sam's the key," she pushed herself forwards.

"I dunno Z. He looked pretty cosy with that bug-eyed creep," Sky shook his head.

"Hate to say it...but Sky's right," Syd nodded. Annie snorted, earning a glare from the Pink Ranger as Sky raised an eyebrow.

"Bridge, you're good at this kinda thing, what do you think?" Jack glanced to the Green Ranger.

"I think...that he's thinking what we're thinking. I mean, what we should have been thinking. I mean, what we _were_ thinking," Bridge rambled.

"Never mind," Jack sighed as Spencer put a hand to his head.

"What's the point of having powers if you can't help anyone?!" Z suddenly exploded, getting to her feet.

"Why are you taking it so personal Z?" Sky asked her as she stormed past. The young woman slowed to a stop.

"Because...Sam reminds me of me, when I was a kid" she admitted, turning back to them.

"Yeah...it was tough growing up different," Bridge agreed, not looking up. Annie glanced to Spencer, and found he had the same expression as the other Rangers.

"To this day, I still can't shake this vivid memory of when I was 12..." Z spoke again. "It was hard enough being from the streets...but I was so shy, and the kids knew I was different. They were cruel, called me all sorts of names like 'freak' and 'monster'," Z's expression was haunted as she spoke. "I was just a little girl. I couldn't take it any more, so I did the only thing I knew how to do. I replicated, and I got out of there. I ran out of school...I ran and I ran and I ran until I couldn't run anymore, then I found myself alone, with this scary looking creature coming towards me," the others were silent as she told her story. "Then I heard an explosion. I opened my eyes and the creature was running away, and there was someone standing in the shadows with a laser. I broke my Z necklace...I was too afraid to go back and get it," Z finished, looking away.

"That is like the scariest story I've ever heard," Syd breathed.

"Yeah," Z gave a weak laugh. "Well if it wasn't for that man in the shadows, I don't know what would have happened to me," she shrugged.

"And you never found out who the dude was?" Annie asked curiously. Z shook her head.

"No...I never did," her voice was quiet.

"The man in the shadows was a dog," they jumped and looked up as the Commander approached. "It was me," their eyes went wide at his confession.

"No...way..." Bridge gaped as the Commander held out a necklace.

"My necklace...what?" Z laughed in disbelief as she took it back. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"In light of our current situation, I feel it's time you all learn the truth about your civilian powers," Spencer's eyes went wide and nerves settled in his stomach. "Having these gifts is not the only thing you all have in common. The truth is...your parents all served at SPD before you were born," nobody spoke, stunned.

"No way..." Bridge breathed again when they finally remembered how to speak.

"My parents weren't SPD. They were missionaries," Jack argued.

"My mum's a teacher, not an officer," Syd spoke up. Spencer and Annie exchanged looks. Their families were the only ones who were different, it seemed.

"We felt for your own protection, that this information should remain secret, until you were old enough to fully understand," Kruger explained. "Your parents were pioneers. They helped build the technology built into your Morphers, led by Doctor Manx," their eyes went even wider.

"You mean Kat's parents worked here?" Bridge asked as all but Sky, Spencer and Annie got to their feet. Kruger laughed, shaking his head.

"My friends, Doctor Manx is not as young as she looks," he told them in amusement.

"You're kidding, she looks about 28 max," Spencer spoke up, shaking his head.

"147 of your years," if they weren't already completely shocked, this tipped them over the edge. "But I will tell her you said that," Kruger chuckled. "Back to my story. All of your parents were dedicated to the same cause as you. There were certain unplanned events that happened in the early testing phases. Kat, being an alien, was unaffected. But not so fortunate were your parents. The prolonged exposure to the cellular enhancers altered their human genes," he explained.

"So their DNA was changed, and led to them getting powers?" Spencer guessed. The others glanced at him as Kruger nodded in confirmation.

"I always knew my mum was weird," Syd smirked.

"Does this have something to do with Sam?" Z asked curiously.

"He's the last one," Kruger confirmed.

"No...way..." Bridge breathed.

"Dude, seriously?" Annie laughed at him.

"I gotta help him," Z insisted.

"He's not the only one you have to help," they glanced around as Kat walked in. "In a few hours, all of those people will be dolls forever," she warned them.

* * *

"Okay," Jack spoke as the Rangers gathered in the location Sam had last been seen, wearing their civilian clothes. "Let's split up," he instructed. They nodded, and took off, searching the city for the boy.

"Man, searching for a kid in a city ain't easy," Spencer sighed as he stopped running to catch his breath. "Maybe I should...no, don't rely on magic for something you can do yourself," the Gold Ranger told himself, and leaned against a wall. "I can't believe the others...their parents all worked for SPD...it definitely explains how they got their powers," he chuckled, looking down at his hands. "I guess I'm going to have to come clean eventually," the Ninja sighed. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. As he did, an image flashed across his mind.

 _Z cried out as she was blasted off the ground, landing hard._

" _Stop!" the young boy with red hair and scuffed knees emerged from his hiding place, holding up his hand. "Or I'll-" any threat he was about to make was cut off by the bug-eyed monster fired a blast at him._

" _Sam!" Z cried, before Bugglesworth turned to her. She let out a yell as his staff flashed, and she was turned into a doll._

"No!" Spencer's eyes flew open and he straightened up. Swaying as a dizzy spell hit him, Spencer put a hand to his head. "What was that..." he muttered. "No, I need to find Z!" he took off, Ninja-streaking through the city. He skidded to a stop when he spotted Z catching Sam, who had run into her. "Z, you alright?" he called, making them look up. Sam immediately shied away from him, and Spencer stopped.

"No, it's okay, Spence is a friend," Z smiled at the boy, who hesitated. "He's like us as well, like Jack," she told him, and Sam relaxed a little, but the distrust didn't leave his eyes.

"I thought you were..."

"Dolled up?" Z smirked, and shook her head. "Nah, that was just a double. Remember, you're not the only one with powers," she told him.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Look," Z interrupted as Spencer frowned, putting a hand to his head. So Z's duplicate had been turned into a doll. Just how had he known that? "It's hard being different from other kids. I didn't have any friends growing up either," she told the boy.

"Really?" he frowned at her.

"No, but as you get older, you change. It gets easier," Z walked over to stand beside Spencer.

"You realise that anyone worth being your friend, won't care that you have powers," Spencer told the boy, who watched him curiously.

"I just want to be like anyone else," Sam told them.

"I know. But we're not like everyone else," Z told him gently. "We have abilities, and with them comes responsibility," Spencer grinned lightly.

"Easy there Spiderman," Z rolled her eyes at his attitude. "Look Sam, thing is, having powers is part of what makes you, you. It isn't all there is to you, but you can't deny it. None of us can. All we can do is put our powers to good use. To help people," he said. Z nodded.

"You're right," Sam smiled. "From now on, I'm only going to help people," he told them determinedly.

"Well, you can start by telling us how to change those dolls back," Z grinned at him.

"It's Bugglesworth," Sam laughed. "You catch him, and they'll all chance back," he explained.

"Makes sense. Take him down and reverse the spell," Spencer nodded.

"Spell?" Sam repeated, making him pause.

"Uh, you get what I mean," Spencer shrugged.

"Guys, I found Sam," Z smiled as she grabbed her Morpher. "We're coming in."

"That's what you think!" they looked around, and immediately took off, grabbing Sam as the Orange-Head and several Krybots burst into view.

"Oh, that dude looks powerful," Spencer growled as they ran. "Z, get Sam outta here. I'll hold him off," he told her.

"What?" Z stared at him. "But he's too strong! He kicked mine and Jack's butts," she shook her head. Spencer grinned.

"Never said I'd beat him. Just hold him off till the others get here and you can get Sam to safety," he told her, and winked. "No need to be worried about me Z!" he laughed, turning and running off before she could stop him.

"He's weird," Sam decided.

"You have no idea," Z sighed.

"Hey spiky!" the Orange-Head looked up just as Spencer's boot smashed into his face. The robot cried out, flying backwards into a group of crates.

"Ohh, you're gonna be fun, aren't you?" Bugglesworth giggled as he stepped into view.

"Nothing but," Spencer grinned, his golden aura surrounding him. "Call to the Beast Inside! Let Loose the Bull!" he summoned his Animal Spirit, which bellowed and rushed at the monster, who cried out in alarm. He was thrown aside, and with directions from Spencer, the Bull worked on taking out the Krybots, shrugging off their attacks easily and knocking them aside. While they were distracted, Spencer faced the recovering Orange-Head.

"Just who are you, boy? That's not the norm for SPD!" the robot growled.

"Oh, I'm way more than just SPD," Spencer grinned, his hands lighting up. He tossed several orbs at the robot, and rushed him while he was distracted. The two began to fight, with Spencer using his powers to keep an even ground with the robot that was far stronger than him. He kicked out, slamming his boot into the robot's side, before the Orange-Head punched him in the chest and followed up with a powerful kick. Spencer stumbled backwards, falling to the ground as his body sang with pain.

"You say you are more than just SPD, but you're still just a weak human!" he taunted as Spencer gasped for breath.

"Oh, I ain't entirely human dude," Spencer's hands lit up again, only this time with magic. He spoke in a different language, raising his hands, and golden light slammed into the Orange-Head, throwing him back. Slowly getting to his feet, Spencer then cast another spell and hurled a crate into the robot who cried out. He blasted the ground where Spencer was standing, and the Gold Ranger landed heavily on more crates.

"Spencer!" Z called, running into view as Spencer's Animal Spirit faded, and he began to glow, healing his injuries.

"Well this is embarrassing," he chuckled, glancing at her. "I thought I told you to go? You're not meant to see me get my butt handed to me," Spencer told her as she fought off the Krybots.

"I see Annie do it on a regular basis, why should this be any different?" she called, making him laugh. He then groaned as pain jolted through his stomach. Z continued to fight, but the Krybots had recovered from their assault and grabbed her, forcing her into place as Bugglesworth recovered as well. He stood in front of her, ready to turn her into a doll again.

"Z!" Spencer tried to push himself up, and fell to the ground.

"Now just hold still!" he laughed, but as he went to activate his staff, it vanished. "What happened?" Bugglesworth screeched in alarm.

"Over here!" they looked around to see Sam holding the staff. "That's the last doll you'll ever make," Bugglesworth cried out as Sam smashed the staff to the ground, destroying it. "I'll show you!" he rushed at the boy.

"Run Sam!" Z screamed, and Sam took off as the Yellow Ranger broke free of the Krybots. When the Orange-Head rushed at her, Spencer tackled him, giving Z a chance to replicate.

"You need to learn how to stay down!" the robot went to attack Spencer as he got back, only for Z and her copies to rush in and help, however before long, both were back on the ground. "It's over Rangers!" he went to finish them off, only for another blast to slam him in the chest.

"Z! Spencer, you guys alright?" Jack called as the rest of the team ran in.

"Perfect!" Spencer got back to his feet.

"Oh, you've been through the wars," Annie commented as she stood beside Spencer. "Trying to impress her or something?" she grinned.

"Huh? Why would I do that?" Spencer frowned at her, and seeing his genuine confusion, Annie laughed.

"Still as clueless as ever, glow bug," she teased, running to fight the Krybots as he frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he called.

"I've got friends too!" the Orange-Head threw a round blue device, which transformed into a Blue-Head.

"Great! Like we didn't have enough to deal with," Annie complained as the Rangers stood together.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed into their suits.

"Space Patrol Delta!" as Jack followed the blue-headed Robot, the others handled the Krybots, wiping them out easily. When Jack finished off the Blue-Head, the Rangers regrouped outside.

"Impressive," the Orange-Head sniffed. "But how do you like this?" his sword began to glow as he raised it. He fired a blast that knocked them all off their feet, and he laughed.

"I'm getting too old for this," Z complained.

"That makes two of us."

"Come on guys!"

"Guys, let's pull it together and use our heads!"

"Good thinking Bridge!"

"Let's wipe this dude out!"

"We're taking you down!" Z declared as the Rangers got back to their feet.

"Give it your best shot!" the robot goaded in amusement.

"Alright RIC, you're on!" Z called for the robotic dog, and Jack hurled the bone into the air, transforming RIC into his cannon form.

"Ready?"

"Fire!" they blasted the Orange-Head, who laughed and countered with his own power. The Rangers pushed, and finally their power won out, destroying the robot.

"That did it!" Z laughed, before the ground began to shake. "Whoa!" she stumbled as a massive robot walked through the city.

"I'm _back_ ," Buggleworth sang. "I'll teach you to break my toys!" he told them loudly, his nasally voice echoing through the city.

"Oh, if I never hear that voice again, it'll be too soon!" Annie growled.

"It's Zord time!" Z called.

' _You've got to hurry. The dolls will harden for good in a couple of minutes_ ,' Kat warned them.

"That's all we need," Spencer spoke confidently as the Zords reached them and they formed the Megazord. Dark clouds formed overhead, and it began to rain heavily. The Megazord leapt to the side to dodge Bugglesworth's attacks, before leaping into the air. With a powerful slash, they knocked him back.

"Let's see what the scanner has to say about you!" Z called on the Judgement Mode. Bugglesworth whimpered as the light flashed red.

"Guilty!"

"Uh oh!" Bugglesworth gulped. They aimed their blaster at his robot as it began to charge.

"5...4...3...2...1, fire!" they blasted the robot, and Bugglesworth shrieked as the robot was destroyed. He landed on the ground heavily, looking up with a gulp.

"They got my robot, but they won't get me!" he went to run off, only to find the Rangers in front of him. He let out a shriek.

"Think again!" Jack grabbed his Morpher. "You've been found guilty of the crimes of stealing buildings, turning people into dolls, and child endangerment!" Bugglesworth whimpered again. "Containment mode!" he was trapped in a card, breaking the power and releasing everyone who had been turned into dolls.

* * *

Pretending the rev an engine as he checked out his new bike, Sam smiled with excitement.

"I dunno what to say guys, thanks for the bike," he looked up at the group of Rangers.

"You're welcome Sam," Z smiled at him. "You got a lot of friends here," she told him.

"Yeah, I do...but you guys are kinda old," he smirked, slapping Bridge's hand as the Green Ranger examined the bike.

"Old?" they repeated.

"I'm only 17..." Spencer muttered. Annie grinned in amusement.

"And weird," Sam grinned, and the Rangers looked insulted. "Just kidding," he laughed. "I'll still see you guys around the Academy, right?" he looked up at them all.

"You bet," Jack nodded.

"I'm gonna be like you!" he saluted suddenly. "I'm gonna be a Power Ranger!" Sam decided.

"Hey Sam, come on, let's go," a group of new recruits approached with smiles.

"I gotta go, my peeps are calling," Sam dismounted the bike and walked off, pushing it along as the Rangers laughed.

"God, now I _do_ feel old," Spencer complained.

"I'm not old..." Syd frowned.

"Nope...just weird," Jack smirked. With a laugh of his own, Sky patted Syd's shoulders as he passed, laughing, and she watched them all leave with a frown.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	9. Legend

**So I've gotten way more written over the last few days than I expected. So, I figured I'd update now, since my updating has been appalling lately.  
**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Legend

 _"Very well!" the armoured alien snarled, drawing a pair of long, thin swords. "If I cannot have them, I'll have my revenge by killing the four of you instead!" his voice was a low growl, sounding like scraping along gravel._

 _"Good luck with that!" Annie scoffed, remaining in her fighting stance. The alien let out a roar, crossing his blades and holding them up as a ball of dark energy formed. He threw it at the three, and they cried out as it slammed into them._

Spencer woke with a gasp, sitting up straight as he breathed heavily. Sweat trailed down his face and he wiped it away, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"I really need to work less," he muttered, before a shiver ran down his spine. Kayden sat up straight in bed as well, his eyes flying open. Reaching for his glasses, Spencer slid them on and looked over to his roommate, who looked as startled as Spencer felt. "You alright?" the Gold Ranger asked. Kayden rubbed his eyes, taking a breath.

"Yeah, fine," Kayden spoke softly. "Just got...a really bad feeling," he admitted.

"You and me both," Spencer murmured. Kayden looked at him, both growing even more worried at his words. Without a word, both got out of their beds, heading to the command centre.

Kat looked around as the door slid open and the two walked in, looking tired as the adrenaline wore off. She couldn't help but smile in amusement at the sight of the two. Normally a little more kempt, their hair stood on end and neither had bothered changing from their pyjamas.

"You're up early," she commented, glancing to the clock as it read 3am.

"We uh..." Kayden glanced to Spencer. The younger cadet shrugged. "We had a bad feeling," he admitted. Kat arched an eyebrow.

"A bad feeling," she spoke dryly. They nodded. "Well no alarms have gone off, the city is quiet for-" she stopped as the doors slid open and Annie walked in, rubbing her eyes and yawning widely. Her hair was even messier than the other two. She stopped when she realised they were standing there, looking from one to the other.

"Bad feeling?" Spencer asked. She nodded. "Kat, you're sure nothing's going on in the city?" he glanced up at the technical analyst.

"I'll take another look now," the woman decided. Although she could see nothing wrong, having three cadets up in the middle of the night was worrying.

"I heard Syd snoring, and no sign from Z either," Annie told the other two quietly.

"Yeah, from what I could tell, the others were dead to the world too," Spencer nodded. "It's just the th-" the doors slid open, and a young woman with light brown hair walked in, looking just as tired as the rest. She stopped when she saw them as well.

"What're-"

"Bad feeling?" the three asked her, and she nodded.

"Woke me up out of a great dream too," Serafina complained with a pout.

"This is getting weird," Kayden shook his head as he folded his arms.

"I hear that," Spencer agreed. "Out of everyone in the Academy, the ones who got this bad feeling are _us_? The four Ninjas?" he looked from one to the other.

"It is weird," Annie agreed, yawning again. Sera nodded as well, looking worried. Hearing a beep, they looked around as Kat frowned. "What is it?" they gathered around curiously.

"It's not in the city," Kat told them. "It's in Blue Bay Harbour," she looked up as their eyes widened.

"Oh please no," Sera's hands went to her mouth.

"It's impossible, how could it happen?" Kayden asked quietly. "How could it open again? Last I heard, it was sealed with magic," he shook his head.

"It would make sense to feel this uneasy," Spencer shrugged. "And magic can fade. Or someone negated the spell," he suggested.

"What is it?" Kat asked, not understanding what they were talking about. Spencer's phone suddenly began to ring in his pocket, playing a popular song that normally would have the others laughing at him. But nobody reacted as Spencer pulled his phone out and saw the caller ID.

"The Abyss of Evil."

* * *

By the time they'd reached the spot just on the outskirts of Blue Bay Harbour, the sun was beginning to rise, and golden light shone over the hill.

"We must be the last ones here," Annie commented as she, Sera Kayden and Spencer jogged up the hill. They all shivered as they grew closer to the top, before a figure in all black, with white and red markings, leapt over at them. Annie's boot met its stomach, throwing it back. "The hell was that?" she demanded, looking to the others.

"Kelzack," they looked up at the voice that joined them. "Sorry, it slipped through," Hunter apologised as he grabbed the creature by the arm and tossed it back into the gaping hole in the ground.

"Dad, what is going on?" Annie asked as she caught another Kelzack that leapt up, tossing it back into the hole that shone purple. She looked around at the group of 8 who had gathered. The once Ninja Storm Rangers guarded the hole, making sure nothing escaped, as Ari stood nearby, her hands glowing golden as she worked to seal the hole.

"No clue. We just woke up, felt something bad, and Cam contacted us about this," Hunter told her.

"Something forced it open," Ari called to them as she kept her eyes closed. Her hair was falling into her face, and she already looked exhausted. Spencer sighed. She was still overworking herself trying to find her lost friend.

"Can you tell what?" Shane asked, grabbing an alien shaped like a snail that tried to climb out. He and Dustin forced it back down, and it shrieked as it fell. Spencer winced at the sound.

"Dark magic, that's all I got right now. It's either scan or seal right now," the Sun Ninja told him.

"Seal it!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Duh!" she retorted, the golden light growing.

"There's one problem though," they looked around to Cam. "By the time we got here, the Abyss was wide open. Who knows what got out," the Samurai warned.

"We'll handle that," Spencer decided, watching as Kayden and Tori used a jettison of water to slam a large green alien down again.

"Call us if you need help!" Zoe told them as they took off again.

* * *

"I don't get it!" Sera shook her head as they ran through town, searching for any sign of trouble. "Just how the hell did the Abyss of Evil get opened?" she asked.

"Mum said it was dark magic," Spencer called over his shoulder to her. "As for who was using that dark magic, it's a completely different story," he shrugged.

"I didn't think dark magic was as big a thing any more since the Master was defeated," Kayden commented as they turned a corner. Before Spencer could reply, they were suddenly blasted off their feet, flying through the air. Landing with painful groans, the four looked up to see a figure standing in front of them. Spencer's eyes widened in horror.

"No way," he whispered, staring at the alien from his dream, who had black, red and gold armour. Whatever face he may have had was hidden by a large helmet.

"Huh. I thought I sensed Ninjas," the alien growled, his voice sending shivers down their spines.

"Who are you?" Annie called as she got to her feet, falling into a fighting stance.

"I am-" he stopped abruptly when he got a good look at her. "Wait, you're..." he trailed off and growled. "Thunder Ninja!" he accused, drawing his swords.

"Okay, so I'm guessing this dude came from the Abyss too," Kayden commented as he got up and fell into his own stance, alongside Spencer and Sera. The alien let out another snarl.

"Water, Thunder, Sun and Fire!" he declared. "And you three...just like the Thunder Rangers and that brat of a Gold Ranger!" he yelled.

"Okay, and has a grudge against our parents too," Kayden muttered.

"I feel a little left out," Sera complained.

"Bring me them now, my revenge has been long overdue!" the growling alien demanded.

"No way dude. We're SPD, we're the ones responsible to keeping the peace," Spencer told him firmly.

"Very well!" he snarled, drawing a pair of long, thin swords. "If I cannot have them, I'll have my revenge by killing the four of you instead!" his voice was a low growl, sounding like scraping along gravel.

"Good luck with that!" Annie scoffed, remaining in her fighting stance. The alien let out a roar, crossing his blades and holding them up as a ball of dark energy formed. He threw it at the three, and they cried out as it slammed into them. They crashed to the ground, groaning.

"I think we might need to retreat...get the others," Spencer suggested.

"Urgh, I hate running away," Annie complained.

"I'm all for it right now," Kayden commented as they got to their feet.

"Hey creep! Better follow us if you want us!" Sera taunted. He rushed at them, but they disappeared in a smoke screen, making him roar furiously.

* * *

When the alarm blared and the request for the Rangers to come to the command centre went off, the rest of the Rangers were pulled from their peaceful sleep. They shuffled towards the command centre, tugging on their jackets and wondering just why someone was attacking so early in the morning.

"What's up Commander?" Jack called when the doors slid open and he walked in with the others, stopping when he found one of the screens playing footage of a large alien attacking Spencer and Annie, as well as Kayden and a girl that they didn't recognise. "What happened?" he asked, glancing to the Gold and Silver Rangers, who were looking a little beaten from their encounter.

"And where did it happen?" Z asked, frowning as she didn't recognise the area in the video.

"Blue Bay Harbour," Spencer sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"What were you doing there so early?" Sky asked with a frown. Spencer remained silent, watching the video.

"Spence, I don't think we have a choice here," Annie told him from across the room, standing with Kayden as they scanned for any sign of dark energy.

"I think she's right dude," Kayden nodded. "This dude will be after us, they deserve to know why," he said. Spencer gave a low sigh.

"What is going on here?" Jack asked, not liking the lack of answers. Spencer didn't reply, turning to the centre console. He began to hit buttons, and brought up several images. "What...who are they?" he asked, looking at the group of Rangers that had been brought up on camera.

"You guys never realised that when you were elevated to Ranger Status, you were allowed complete access to the files on all past Rangers," Kayden told the group, who started in surprise.

"We do?" Sky asked, looking blank.

"Whoa, no way," Z looked excited at the idea.

"There's something we've been keeping from you guys, which you've all kinda guessed by now," Spencer said as he looked up at them apologetically. "Commander Kruger told you that all our parents worked in SPD when it first came to Earth, hence the powers. But that's not entirely true. For me, I got my powers somewhere else," he explained, and they looked at him blankly.

"And I told you before, I don't have powers. Just techniques I learned," Annie added.

"Okay...so where did all this come from? And what's it gotta do with this guy?" Jack asked slowly. Annie glanced to the others, and shrugged.

"I guess I'll go first," she decided, walking over to the centre console. "These Rangers, they're the Ninja Storm Power Rangers. They were around in the early 2000s, protecting the Ninja Academies all through the country," Annie explained. "I'm a Thunder Ninja, I've been training in the Academy since I was little," the Rangers stared at her, surprised by her admittance.

"I'm a Water Ninja," Kayden piped up.

"Sun Ninja," Spencer nodded, adjusting his glasses.

"Okay..." Jack spoke slowly, struggling to process everything they were telling them. "And what's that gotta do with these Rangers?" he asked. "They were around before you were born, let alone training," he commented.

"Yeah, and back then most Ranger teams kept their identities a secret," Sky remembered.

"That's true," Annie confirmed, and hit several buttons until only the Crimson and Silver Rangers were shown. "Crimson Thunder Ranger, and Silver Moon Ranger. Hunter Bradley, and Zoe Suguira," footage of the two was shown on screen, fighting different monsters during their time as Rangers.

"Wait, what?" Syd gasped at her words. Annie nodded.

"My parents," she finished.

"Then there's Blake Bradley and Tori Hanson, the Navy Thunder and Blue Water Rangers," Kayden stepped over to change the images shown. Now, footage of Blake and Tori as Rangers appeared on screen. "My folks," he grinned as if commenting on the weather.

"Wait, _Blake Bradley_?" Bridge asked, his eyes growing wide. "As in the Moto champ?" he asked, stunned. Kayden nodded.

"The same," he laughed. "Where'd you think I got my moto skills?" the Water Ninja asked.

"Okay...and what about you?" Sky turned to Spencer. "Because there's a lot more different about you than them," he stated.

"Sky!" Syd nudged him, but Sky didn't blink. Spencer watched him for a moment, before walking over to the console as well.

"He's not wrong," Spencer shrugged, dropping the images of Blake and Tori as they fought one of the many monsters. "I am different to them. My dad is the Green Mystic Force Ranger, and my mum the Gold Sun Ninja Storm Ranger, Xander Bly and Ari Raynes," Spencer took a deep breath. "My mum was also the Gold Dino Thunder, Mystic Force, Overdrive and Jungle Fury Power Ranger," more holograms popped up, and the screens showed Ari in several different battles over the years.

"Whoa," Bridge gaped at the images, and saw Ari using her Dino Powers. "You got your powers from her!" he realised. Spencer nodded slowly.

"She, along with the other Dino Thunder Rangers, had their DNA altered by their Dino Gems, which gave them powers. That's where these come from," he summoned an energy ball. "The glowing came from when she had her genetics altered by Andrew Hartford during Operation Overdrive," Spencer explained to them, running a hand through his hair as he looked to the footage of Ari fighting Minos. It was an odd sight to see.

"Told you Spence was weird," Annie smirked, and despite their awe, the others snickered. Spencer went red, rolling his eyes.

"What about the spirit you use?" Sky asked, not satisfied just yet.

"Along with my Ninja and Mystic training, I also spent time training with him," Spencer gestured to Minos. "Master Taurus is a Pai Zhuq Master of the Order of the Claw. They train in Kung Fu, guided by their inner Animal Spirits, and he taught me to harness the power of my Bull Spirit," he told the Blue Ranger.

"And here he says he never got anything from his dad," Kayden murmured, making Annie giggle.

"He's way more like his dad than he likes to say," she whispered back.

"Oh shut it, the pair of you," Spencer groaned.

"So you're all kids of past Rangers, and that's where you got your powers from," Jack summed up.

"Yup," Kayden nodded. "And this dude, his name is Zurgane," he brought up the image of Zurgane, sending footage to the screens of the Ninja Rangers battling him.

"I remember hearing about him," Spencer nodded. "Had a real issue with the Thunders and my mum," he remembered.

"Explains why he hated us," Annie chuckled.

"In Blue Bay Harbour, there's a place called the Abyss of Evil, guarded by the Wind Ninja Academy," Spencer explained to the others. "It overflowed and burst open in their final fight, but was closed when they won. It was opened temporarily again, during the Dino Thunder and Mystic Force Rangers' times, but was closed again and sealed with magic. But someone used dark magic to -"

"Hold on, you're saying magic like it's real," Sky frowned at him. Spencer gave a long, tired sigh.

"Because it is. The Mystic Force Rangers were practitioners," he said to the Blue Ranger.

"But that's-"

"Not impossible," Spencer groaned. "There's a portal in Briarwood that leads to a magical dimension. It's where my mum was born," he explained.

"And where his grandparents live," Annie hummed, pushing Spencer aside to hit buttons as he protested. Images of the Lunar and Solaris Knight popped up.

"God, I hate you," Spencer growled at her. She just smiled back at him.

"So Spencer is a third generation Ranger?" Z asked in amusement. Spencer glowered at her, going red.

"As I was saying," he cleared his throat, getting rid of the footage of Althea and Daggeron. "Dark magic was used to break open the Abyss, and Zurgane managed to escape. I don't know if any others did, but our family and the others are working on keeping them in until the Abyss is sealed again. Our problem is-" the alarm blared, and they looked to the screens to see Zurgane attacking the city.

"We gotta get out there," Jack frowned.

"No doubt," Z nodded.

"But if you defeat him, won't more just come out if that Abyss thing is still open?" Bridge asked curiously.

"Hopefully when we stop him, the Abyss should be closed," Spencer told him.

"Yeah, we got the second most powerful Mystic of our time handling it," Annie smiled confidently.

"We do?" Syd asked. Spencer cleared his throat, going red.

"My mum is sealing it as we speak. And if she needs help, my dad should have warned the other Mystics by now to get some help," he muttered, shooting Annie a glare. The Silver Ranger didn't look the least bit guilty for airing everything.

"Well then let's move," Jack called to the team, and they hurried out to stop Zurgane.

* * *

"Why is it that I can never get any peace from those blasted Ninjas? What do I have to do to be rid of them?" he demanded furiously.

"Well..." he skidded to a stop and let out a snarl. "You could, you know, not be evil and trying to destroy our planet?" Spencer commented as Zurgane came face to face with the Rangers.

"But something tells me that ain't gonna happen," Z commented.

"And who are you?" Zurgane growled. Jack gave a small laugh.

"How about we show him guys?" he glanced to the others, and grabbed his Morpher. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"No!" Zurgane roared furiously as he watched the group Morph.

"Oh yeah!" Jack laughed. "One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Six! SPD Gold!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Rangers ready!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

"Defenders of Earth!" Zurgane drew his swords.

"More blasted Rangers! If I can't have the Ninja Rangers, I'll destroy you instead! Kelzacks!" a group of the black, red and white creatures leapt into view.

"These creeps again?" Annie glanced around.

"Please. After handling robots, these guys will be easy," Spencer spoke confidently, drawing his own sword.

"Don't get cocky Spence," Annie hummed.

"Come on guys, let's take this guy out!" Sky called.

"Right!" they nodded, and ran to fight.

Spencer's sword clashed against Zurgane's as he met the large black armoured alien in the middle of the fight. Without waiting, Spencer pushed back, swinging his free hand up to hit Zurgane with an orb of sun energy, making him snarl and stumble back. Spencer jumped at him, spinning and kicking him hard, pushing Zurgane back.

"Enough! You're as much of an irritation as that brat of a Sun Ninja," Zurgane snarled, catching his punch and throwing Spencer back. "And if I can't destroy her as I've wanted for so long, I'll destroy you instead!" he declared, only for Bridge to blast him, stopping his swing.

"Not a chance!" the Green Ranger kicked out at him, pushing him away from Spencer and allowing him to get to his feet. Together, the two pushed Zurgane back, right into Annie's path, and she blasted Zurgane. With a furious bark, he raised his swords and blasted them off their feet.

"This guy is tough," Spencer grumbled as pain ran through him, despite his suit.

"I hear that," Bridge nodded, getting up too.

"How about some help from me?" they glanced around as Jack joined them. "Delta Blasters!" he combined his blasters and shot Zurgane repeatedly. The alien cried out, knocked away from them. Sky then kicked him from behind with Syd, and as they landed, they blasted him again.

"No! I won't let you destroy me again!" Zurgane insisted adamantly, getting back to his feet.

"Destroy?" Z tilted her head. "Who said anything about destroying you?" she asked.

"We have a far better way of taking you out," Spencer nodded. Zurgane grunted in his confusion as they stood together. "Guys, I think it's Judgement time!" he grinned, grabbing his Morpher and flipping it open. Zurgane let out a growl of alarm as he was surrounded by darkness, with the Rangers facing him along with a light that flashed between a green circle, and a red x. "You're accused of countless attempts to destroy the Earth and endangering its people," the Gold Ranger called, and the light flashed again, finally stopping on the X.

"Guilty!" the Rangers called.

"Hey RIC, catch!" Spencer tossed the bone into the air, and the robotic dog caught it. "Canine Cannon!" the Rangers caught the cannon, aiming it at Zurgane.

"I thought you said you weren't going to destroy me?!" he growled, raising his swords.

"We aren't," Annie laughed.

"Ready?"

"Fire!" the Rangers fired a blast that slammed into Zurgane, and he roared, flying through the air and landing hard.

"Confinement Mode!" there was a flash of light, and Zurgane was trapped in a containment card that clattered to the ground. "Oh yeah," Spencer laughed, high-fiving Annie.

* * *

"I still can't believe that you guys have Rangers for parents," Bridge commented as they walked through the base.

"Well in fairness, Sky's dad was an SPD Ranger," Spencer shrugged. "That's no less impressive," Sky blinked in surprise, before offering a small smile. Spencer grinned to him. "I'm sorry for not telling you guys. It's just it's..."

"It's not just your secret to tell, we get it," Jack shrugged as they sat down in the rec room. "Especially with your mum," he glanced to Spencer, who raised an eyebrow. "I looked into it, you know, since we have the access," he grinned. "Your mum was known as the Mysterious Gold Ranger. Still is, as far as I know," Spencer went red, looking away.

"I remember reading about that recently," Z remembered. "The same person who helped multiple teams save the world. That's incredible," she breathed.

"Yeah, well, I still hate that name," Spencer's eyes widened and they all looked up in surprise as a woman with black curly hair tied back in a messy ponytail walked over. "I hear you guys took down Zurgane, that's an awesome feat dudes," she had an easy smile, and her eyes were just like Spencer's.

"You're..."

"Hey mum," Spencer got up and hugged Ari, who smiled at her son.

"Hey yourself. I didn't really get to talk to you earlier, and wanted to let you know that the Abyss is sealed again. And I did a better job than the last time I sealed it," Spencer laughed at her words as Annie hugged Ari too. Spencer then turned to the others.

"Well guys, this is my mum," he told them with a shrug.

"You're the..."

"You can call me Ari," the woman laughed, pushing her hair from her face. "It's nice to finally meet the new Rangers. And anyone who can take down the Faceless General himself is worth getting to know in my opinion," she grinned as they got up.

"You're a legend," Sky got up, his eyes wide as he faced her. Ari watched him with an amusement smile. "I remember my dad talking about you a lot," he shook her hand, and Ari laughed.

"Hold on, I know you," Jack frowned, getting to his feet. "You're a skateboarder too, aren't you?" he asked, and Ari nodded.

"That's where most people know me from," she grinned. Spencer sighed, shaking his head as Annie linked arms with him.

"Looks like your mum has fans both as a Ranger and outside of that," the Thunder Ninja teased. Spencer sighed again, looking exhausted.

"Yeah well, now all I need is for someone to realise she also-"

"And you sang with Kira Ford a bunch too!" Syd realised. Spencer threw his arms in the air as Annie burst out laughing.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	10. Shadow Part 1

**Got pretty sick so didn't go into work, so figured I'd update now!  
**

 **I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 10: Shadow Part 1

"I'm not telling you how I do it," Annie laughed as she and Bridge walked into the Command Centre. The others already there glanced up.

"Still trying to find out how to do the disappearing in a smoke screen trick?" Spencer guessed.

"She won't even give me a hint! I just gotta know how it's possible," Bridge complained, taking a seat. Annie smiled sweetly at him.

"Enroll at the Academy, and you'll find out," she told him.

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea to blab about Ninjas being real," Spencer mused as he went back to his book.

"You kidding? Ninjas are awesome!" Bridge stared at him incredulously. "I still can't believe Cam Watanabe is a Samurai as well...that's so cool," he breathed.

"Maybe we should have at least kept quiet about the Ranger files," Spencer murmured as he turned the page.

"Yeah, I think Syd nearly had a heart attack when she found out about Kira Ford being a Yellow Ranger," Z snorted in amusement.

"Yeah? Cause I heard you were pretty hyped about being her successor," Spencer's words made Z go bright red as the others snickered in amusement.

"That's not..." Z tried to argue weakly, but Spencer didn't look up, becoming engrossed in his book. Z watched him for a moment longer before turning away, unaware that Annie had been watching her. She shook her head with a barely audible sigh.

"He's still completely oblivious, isn't he?" Bridge glanced to Annie, his words almost as quiet. Annie couldn't help but grin as she nodded. Seemed she wasn't the only one who had noticed.

"Probably for the best. Unless it's a way to get stronger, or be a better hero, Spencer has no time for it. His last girlfriend found that out the hard way," Annie laughed, thinking back to the poor girl. "Where are Jack and Syd anyway?" the Silver Ranger asked, glancing around.

"Dealing with an Orange-Head in town. Jack said they had it handled," Sky told them.

"Does he not remember Spence getting his butt handed to him by one of those guys a few weeks ago?" Annie raised an eyebrow.

"Rude," Spencer finally looked up, looking insulted. Annie just smirked back at him. "I still have the bruises from that fight," the Sun Ninja muttered.

The alarm suddenly blared, and they all got to their feet to gather around the screen in front of Sky. A massive alien towered over the city.

"Better see if they're done with that Orange-Head," Z sighed. However, before they could contact Jack and Syd, the communication line opened.

' _Rangers, we could use a little help here_ ,' Syd requested.

"No can do Syd, we have our hands full," Sky replied. "As a matter-of-fact, we were going to ask for Syd's help," he continued.

' _No problem_ ,' Jack replied confidently. When the line ended, the Rangers stood together.

"Ready?" Sky called.

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and leapt down the chutes to their Runners, heading into town to face the monster. The monster laughed, holding a bus over its head. They were quickly joined by Syd, surrounding the monster and restraining him. He cried out, dropping the bus.

"I'll get it!" Sky flew in, catching the bus easily with his Runner. He and Spencer then flew over the monster, dropping cuffs on him and a building, keeping him in place.

"Got him!" Spencer grinned. To their surprise, the monster then began to cry. "That's new," he commented as the monster sobbed.

* * *

The Rangers laughed as they sat in the command centre, discussing their latest victory.

"I've never seen anything like that," Z giggled. "That big ol' monster crying?" she and Syd laughed even harder.

"Maybe it was his birthday, and no-one remembered?" Bridge suggested, earning more laughter.

"Could be! Nobody remembered his birthday, so he throws a tantrum in the city," Annie's agreement made them laugh louder.

"You're as bad as him," Sky couldn't help but laugh.

"Am not!" Annie protested.

"Are too!" the others agreed. She glanced to Bridge, who just smiled back.

"Are you laughing at me?!" they jumped and looked around at Kruger's loud voice. He scowled at them.

"No Sir, we were just-"

"May I remind you that you're in an SPD control room?" Kruger didn't let Syd explain. "And I _expect_ you to act accordingly," he snarled.

"Sir, we meant no disrespect," Sky told him with a frown. "We were just-"

"If you cannot comply with my request, then I suggest you take your childish behaviour elsewhere!"

"Wait a minute!" Jack's voice was loud as he stood up. "I don't care who you are, you can't talk to us like that," the rest of the team was silent, shocked that Kruger was being so harsh, and that Jack had spoken to him in such a way.

"Standing up for your Squad, Jack?" Kruger approached them.

"Yeah," Jack didn't back down.

"It's about time you took on your leadership role," Jack's eyes widened very slightly. Annie made to move, but Spencer caught her arm before she could. He shook his head very slightly. For Annie to step in with her temper, it would just make things worse. "Now why don't you lead your team _out of my sight_?!" Kruger roared. " _Out_!" the Rangers left without a word.

* * *

"Alright, what the hell was his problem?" Annie demanded as the Rangers reached the rec room, all of them annoyed.

"He's been cranky all week," Syd commented. "Maybe it's too much stress," she mused.

"Look, I'm not agreeing with the way he handled it, but technically the control room is..." Sky trailed off as he saw the expressions of the others. "You're right. It was a little uncalled for," he agreed.

"It was more than a little uncalled for," Annie growled. "Yeah I get he's our boss and all, but he had no right to speak to us like that," thunder boomed outside, making Syd jump, edging closer to Sky as he looked outside, not seeing a cloud anywhere.

"Breathe Annie," Spencer spoke, completely unfazed by it. Annie huffed, but took a breath anyway. The rumbling stopped abruptly.

"It could be fleas," they looked at Bridge as he spoke up. "I remember my bulldog had fleas. He was grumpy for weeks," he pulled a face.

"Don't bulldogs always look like that?" Spencer asked.

"You're awfully calm about what just happened," Z raised an eyebrow at him.

"Spence internalises," Annie grumbled. "You'll see it in his next fight. He'll use his powers one too many times, or he'll summon his cow-"

"Bull!" Spencer frowned at her. "And by that, I mean it's not a cow," he cleared his throat, and the others, despite their feelings over being treated the way they had been, couldn't help but relax a little.

"Sorry guys," they glanced around at Kat as she walked in.

"Kat, what's going on?" Sky asked her curiously.

"Years ago, the Troobian forces invaded Sirius," Kat explained, folding her arms. "Commander Kruger...he lost everything. That's not an excuse for his behaviour, I just want to let you all know," they were all quiet as they considered this.

* * *

The control room was silent as the Rangers worked, making sure not to draw attention to themselves and risk the wrath of Kruger.

When Bridge suddenly sneezed, they all jumped.

"Sorry...sorry..." Bridge apologised. "Sorry sir," he said to Kruger, who didn't seem to hear him.

"Commander," Kat suddenly spoke up. Kruger growled to let her know he was listening. "I think you'll wanna see this," her tone was worried, and Kruger walked over slowly as the Rangers pretended not to be listening. "I was doing a scan of the energy levels of the city over the last twelve hours, all look normal. Then, I took off the gamma filters which register any energy-cloaking activity," the Rangers crept up behind them, watching silently. "I found one," the computer beeped loudly.

"Perhaps it's a malfunction," Kruger suggested.

"Not a chance," Kat looked mildly insulted. "I designed that program myself. I even had Kayden take a second look, just to be safe. Whatever is out there...it's big, and it's dangerous," she warned him.

"Rangers," they jumped as Kruger suddenly turned to them. "Investigate those co-ordinates," he ordered.

"Yessir!" they shouted, rushing off. In their hurry, they nearly bumped into Kayden, who grinned at them as he passed.

"They're acting oddly," Kruger was saying as the Water Ninja entered the command centre. "I wonder what it is," he mused. Kat rolled her eyes.

" _You_ are," she told him. "The...it," she explained. Kruger let out a growl and stormed off.

"Whoa, things aren't looking too warm in here today," Kat sighed as she turned to Kayden as he stood on her other side.

"No kidding," she muttered.

* * *

Music was blaring as a large crowd of aliens chattered away, eating and drinking what looked like things that had been lifted from the dump. They suddenly shrieked and scattered, and Piggy rushed out of his van.

"Where's everybody going?!" he called, but there was no reply. "Come back!" he cried, before grimacing as he spotted the problem. "It's _SPD_ ," the one remaining alien who had been snoozing at a table cried out and ran off.

"What up big man, we heard about your new fortune," Jack smiled at him.

"Yes and eh," Piggy made a shooing motion. "Thanks for dropping by," he smiled mockingly.

"What's the rush Piggy?" Sky raised an eyebrow.

"The rush?" he repeated. "If you didn't notice, you're SPD. Not exactly who my patrons want to dine with," he complained loudly.

"Maybe stop accommodating criminals, and you won't have a problem," Annie commented.

"Listen, just tell us what we wanna know, and we'll get out of this dump," Z offered him.

"Flattery won't work on me," Piggy scoffed. Spencer shivered suddenly.

"Guys, we have-"

"Looking for me?" they looked around as a cloaked figure suddenly emerged from his hiding place. He laughed, yanking his cloak off to reveal green skin, with red wires coming from his head. He flipped a table, clearing the space between him and the Rangers.

"Looks like Piggy's place has a little rat infestation," Jack commented.

"I hate rats!" Annie, Z and Syd spoke together, and Bridge lowered his fighting stance to look at them with a raised eyebrow.

"I am Benag, Prime General of the Troobian force," he announced.

"Let's suit up!"

"Don't bother," they frowned at the General's words. "Just give this to Commander Kruger," he tossed a ball to them that Spencer caught with a frown. When they looked up, he was gone.

* * *

Hooking the ball up to their systems, the Rangers watched as Benag showed up in a hologram, facing Kruger.

' _I hope you enjoyed your last sunrise, Doggie Kruger. I have navigated three galaxies to find you_ ,' Kruger was on his feet, glaring at the hologram. ' _We meet this afternoon in your final battle_ ,' he announced.

"You have travelled in vain. I do not battle any more," Kruger replied firmly.

' _Oh?_ ' Benag laughed. ' _I will see to it that you_ do _battle. I can promise you that_ ,' the hologram then ended.

"What do you mean, you won't fight, sir?" Sky demanded incredulously.

"Don't you get it Sky? It's deception, it's gotta be," Jack shook his head, unable to believe that Kruger would refuse to fight.

"Who _is_ he Commander?" Z asked.

"And how do you know him?" Syd spoke up.

"And why does he want to fight you so badly that he'd travel across three galaxies to do it?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, you've gotta tell us something sir," Bridge nodded. Kruger didn't speak, growling quietly.

"They have a right to know the truth Commander," Kat told him softly as she approached him. Kruger scowled, and she nodded, watching him sadly. He then sighed heavily.

"My home of Sirius was invaded by Grumm. Sirius had assembled an elite squad of galactic defenders. Space Patrol Delta. The first SPD," everyone was quiet as Kruger told his story. "We battled for months without sleep. Though our men fought valiantly, we were no match for the endless army of Troobians. While we fought their soldiers, Grumm turned his giant robots loose on the defenceless cities. General Benag led those troops against us," Kruger closed his eyes and took a breath. "We were overrun. We were defeated. When I awoke, I was alone. My people were gone. I was the last of my Squad. The last of my kind. I failed my planet, my Squad, my..." he trailed off and looked away. "I vowed never to pick up my sword again. That is my story," Kruger said quietly when nobody spoke, staring at him.

The ground suddenly began to shake violently, knocking most off their feet. Sky caught Syd as she almost fell, and both Z and Bridge caught themselves on the console in front of them as Kat did the same. "What is this? Earthquake?" Kruger looked to Kat as the alarms began to blare.

"No," she shook her head as she managed to take a look at the screen. "Energy tremors," she reported as the ground stopped shaking.

"Rangers, suit up!" Kruger yelled to the team, who stumbled over to each other.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"Space Patrol Delta!" they Morphed and headed out into the city as Kayden monitored the energy levels.

"They're up against an enemy they don't know. You do," Kat turned to Kruger.

"What's your point, Doctor Manx?" Kruger's voice was testy.

"You know Benag, yet you send a group of heroic yet inexperienced kids up against him?" she demanded, and Kayden looked around in surprise. "You should be out there with them," Kat growled.

"No!" Kruger snapped at her. "It is not my place anymore," he turned his gaze back on the screen in front of him.

"Doggie, I know this brings up a lot of memories for you," Kayden tried to focus on finding out what had caused the tremors and not listen in on the conversation right in front of him. "But running from them won't-"

"I am _not running from them_!" Kruger interrupted angrily.

"Then why didn't you tell the Rangers _everything_?!" Kat demanded. "You withheld the most important part of your story," she pointed out.

"This is _my_ business. Not theirs," Kruger aruged.

"Well I think it is their business," Kat told him firmly. "You're a team. There shouldn't be any secrets," Kruger sighed, looking away at her words. She was right. "Here," she pulled a case from her lab coat. "I made you something," frowning, the Sirian took the case from her and opened it. His eyes went wide, before he took a breath and closed them.

"This is bordering on insubordination!" he slammed the case closed. "I suggest you leave my sight while you can," Kruger snarled at her.

"You stubborn old dog!" Kat snapped. "Resisting what you fear will only bring it into existence," she warned him.

" _Out_!" Kruger roared at her. Kat snatched the case back and stormed off. Kayden watched her worriedly, before turning back to the Commander.

"Sir-"

"I am _not_ one of the Rangers needing a pep-talk, Cadet. Either stay quiet, or get out of my sight," Kruger snarled at the Water Ninja. Kayden sighed, and turned his attention to the screen in front of him.

* * *

"The city is mine," the Blue-Head in the robot tunnelled back out from under the city, laughing loudly. He approached the spike nearby, and slammed it into the ground. It began to glow, and he drove it deeper into the ground. The Rangers reached him, and Z was knocked aside by the robot.

"I'll get him Z!" Bridge fired blasts at the robot, who blocked them and knocked Jack into Annie. Both cried out as their Zords spun out of control, while Sky and Spencer flew in the air above, blasting the robot. When the smoke cleared, they found that the robot had vanished.

"Where'd he go?" Spencer called.

"Never mind that, what is that thing?" Sky asked as he flew towards the spike in the ground.

' _Whoa, Sky, don't_!' Sky stopped before going to pull the spike out when Kayden's voice crackled over the communication lines. ' _Don't touch it_!' Sky veered away from the spike.

' _Leave the spikes and return to base immediately_ ,' Kruger ordered.

* * *

"Look, I could have pulled those spikes out of the ground," Sky argued. Kruger didn't turn around to face them.

"Yes you could have," Kruger nodded, turning around after a moment. "But you don't know what they are, or what they might do. We don't do anything until we find those things out. Kat? Where's Kat?" he asked when she didn't come in.

"I haven't seen her since..." Kayden trailed off when Kruger growled at him. "I'll go find her," he tossed his tablet down in front of Spencer, who frowned and looked around at the Water Ninja. He'd never seen the older Ninja so annoyed.

"We should be out in the city patrolling," Jack shook his head. "Not sitting in here waiting for something to happen," he said.

"You do not know this enemy," Kruger growled at him. "You have not come up against anything like him before. I have. We wait," he instructed.

"Don't you mean, _we_ wait?" Z asked, her voice challenging. Kruger growled at her.

"She's right. You know this enemy, yet you refuse to fight him," Spencer spoke up. "Instead you give cryptic orders that leave us with more questions than answers. How do you expect us to fight him if we don't know anything?" he demanded.

"Cadet Bly, I suggest you stand down before you say something you regret," Kruger warned him. The others were staring at Spencer for his outburst.

"No, Sir, I won't. Because at this rate, we're going to get ourselves killed by running head-first into danger without thinking," Spencer shook his head.

"Like mother, like son," Spencer's eyes widened at Kruger's growl. He knew that his mother had been headstrong and reckless as a Ranger. He knew he could be the same. But he didn't expect the Commander to throw it in his face. "Bly, I will not put up with your disrespect simply because she is a hero," he warned. Spencer gave a small laugh, looking down.

"Fine then, _sir_. You won't have to," he stood up, taking the tablet with him as he stormed out.

"Whoa..." Syd breathed.

"Anyone else care to speak their mind on the matter?" Kruger challenged. Her fists clenched, Annie went to speak, but Bridge caught her arm, shaking his head with a worried expression. Thunder boomed again, louder than before.

"Breathe, remember?" the Green Ranger whispered. She huffed, but did as he suggested.

* * *

"There you are," Kat looked around to see Kayden approach her with a grin. "I've been looking everywhere for you," he said as he fell into pace beside her.

"You know, I left the base to get away from everyone," the genius grumbled.

"I know," Kayden replied cheerfully. "Unfortunately for you, you aren't getting your way now," Kat rolled her eyes.

"I could order you back, you know," she commented. Kayden laughed.

"Yeah, you could. But the question is whether I'd follow that order or not," he shrugged. Kat frowned at him.

"You're as bad as Spencer and Annie, you know that right?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Kayden laughed again, not looking the least bit offended by her words.

"I know. But see, you're the only one who can keep the Commander in check. He listens to you," Kayden said as Kat huffed, continuing to walk as she folded her arms. "By now, he's probably chased Spencer out of the control room, at least," Kat raised an eyebrow.

"Not Annie?" she asked, thinking of the more temperamental of the two. Spencer had always been the controlled one, able to help Annie keep her temper.

"Nah. See, Spencer internalises his anger up to a certain point. Then, he's just like his mum. He'll have an emotional outburst and storm off. The perfect blend of his dad's confidence and his mum's attitude to everything else, so my parents always tell me," Kayden mused. "But, once that happens, nobody will be able to stop Annie's temper tantrum," he shivered.

"What about you? Can't you calm her down?" Kat asked.

"I'm with you," Kayden looked at her, as if surprised by her words. "And I'm not going back till you do," he smiled.

"You're as stubborn as he is," Kat growled.

"Doubt that. But I hear I inherited my mum's hard head," Kayden shrugged, before holding his arm out, stopping Kat from walking.

"What's wrong?" she asked, before her ears twitched. They looked around, but nobody was there. Frowning, they turned back around, just as two hooded figures rushed at them. Kayden yanked off his clothes to reveal his Ninja Gear, and kicked them back. He and Kat fought them off, and shoved them back. Kayden took a breath and held out his arms, moving them as water began to appear.

"Wave goodbye now," he grinned, thrusting his hands out. A jettison of water slammed into the two and they collided with the wall behind them, sparking as torn material revealed circuitry.

"Krybots!" Kayden hissed. "Doc, we should probably-" before he could speak, he was blasted off his feet.

"Kayden!" Kat gasped as the Water Ninja groaned, an arm around his ribs. He pushed himself up as a figure came into view, laughing low at them.

"Still got some fight in you?" Benag challenged. With another wave of his hands, Kayden fired another blast of water at him, but the General easily cut through it and blasted Kayden. The Ninja cried out, hitting the ground hard as Benag just laughed.

"No!" Kat went to fight him, but Benag grabbed her wrist.

"You're coming with me," he laughed, pulling her away as Kayden groaned, unable to move.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Please review!**


	11. Shadow Part 2

**I must be feeling off, a third update in less than a week?  
**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Shadow Part 2

Kruger growled, wondering why neither Kat nor Kayden had returned. Neither were answering their phones either. It wasn't like them, and with Benag running around, he had a bad feeling.

"Boom!" he barked at the jumpy tech assistant. "I want you to analyse the computers and find out everything you can about those spikes," he ordered.

"But...that's Kat's job," Boom said weakly.

"Kat's not here! Can you do that?" Kruger demanded.

"I'm not sure...not without Kat or Kayden..." Boom gulped nervously, and Kruger growled at him. "Yes sir!" he yelled, louder than intended.

"Go!" Kruger snapped.

"Sir," Jack stepped forwards. "I may be out of line, but you seem to be losing it Sir," he told the Commander.

"You're right. You are out of line," Kruger told him coldly.

"Sir, I'm going to have to agree with Jack," Sky stood beside the Red Ranger.

"I do too," Z nodded behind them.

"Me too," Syd nodded.

"Me three," Bridge nodded.

"As do I," Annie spoke up. "You've already chased Kat, Kayden and _Spencer_ out of here Sir," she said, earning a harsh glare that made a shiver run down her spine. Kruger stared at them, surprised that they were all standing up to him.

"Rangers, when I told you about my past, I did not tell you everything. Kat always says a team has no secrets," he turned away. "While the great battle for Sirius was raging..." he sighed, lowering his head. "I was fighting at the front. Benag snuck in from behind and captured my wife Isinia. I was overrun. I couldn't save her. I never saw Isinia again," Kruger admitted.

"Sir...you can't blame yourself," Jack spoke up.

"You were overrun at your position."

"You had your Squad to defend."

"Your planet needed you."

"Sir, he was clearly setting a trap," Kruger sighed, lifting his head.

"Knowing all those things, does not stop my nightmares..." he admitted softly.

* * *

"It's SPD! Run!" the aliens scattered as the Rangers approached Piggy's diner.

"Seriously Spence, you should be with your team," Annie was saying on the phone as Piggy groaned irritably. "Please just tell me you haven't gone after Benag by yourself," she pleaded.

' _Oh ye of little faith_ ,' Spencer laughed. ' _Contrary to what the Commander seems to think, I'm not_ that _much like my mum. I'm with Boom, analysing the data collected on the spikes_ ,' he explained to her. Annie rolled her eyes.

"He'll never learn if you baby him," she warned.

' _Yeah well, better me being here than being reckless in a fight, which, at the moment, I'm more at risk of being. By the way, you've lasted far longer than I expected. Just how'd you keep calm_?' he asked curiously. Annie glanced to Bridge, and felt her face go warm.

"Contrary to what _you_ believe, I'm not that bad," Spencer snorted.

' _Sure. I did hear the thunder, grumpy-pants. Whatever, I better go. Good luck with Piggy, let me know if you find anything_ ,' he told her.

"Yeah yeah," Annie rolled her eyes and hung up.

"You're _killing_ my business!" Piggy whined as the Rangers approached him.

"Sorry to hear that Piggy," Jack didn't sound very apologetic. "How about you answer us a couple of questions, and we'll be on our way?" he suggested.

"I'm out of that line of work," Piggy smiled pleasantly at him.

"Of course you are Piggy," Sky looked sceptical. "We just thought you might have heard something about some friends of ours. Kat Manx? Kayden Bradley?" he asked. Piggy took a breath, looking as if he had something to say.

"No, doesn't ring a bell," Piggy shook his head.

"You know Syd?" Z turned to the Pink Ranger. "I kinda like it here," she commented. "Nice and quiet. I think I might become a regular," she and Syd sat down as Piggy growled in frustration.

"I don't know anything about Kat Manx or Kayden Bradley! You've got to believe me!" Piggy pleaded with them.

"You know," Bridge spoke up, leaning on a chair. "Being the advisor of the C and D level Cadets, and the editor of the Academy newsletter, and just generally being a pretty big blabbermouth," the others voiced their agreement at the last part. "I'm pretty sure I could have this place bouncing off the walls with SPD," Bridge smiled at Piggy.

"Oh _alright_!" Piggy snapped furiously. Taking a breath, he leaned closer. "Grumm, is here...on Earth," the Rangers sobered up quickly and moved in close, unable to believe what he was saying. Their Morphers then chimed loudly, and Jack grabbed his to answer.

' _Better get back, I have some bad news_ ,' Spencer announced.

* * *

"So here's what we know," Boom brought up footage of the robot planting spikes as Spencer spoke. "This dude has been planting spikes all over the city. Down town, the harbour, then West, East and North, and finally, the airport," the screen showed each of the spikes. "So we checked these places out, and it seems where the spikes are, makes a perfect hexagon around the city. They're Proton Spikes. Harmless, unless pulled from the ground without deactivating them first. So Kayden and the Commander were right to stop us," he glanced to Sky, who had gone a little pale at the thought.

"But if a uh..."

"Mega-neutron spike," Spencer told him quietly.

"Yeah, that!" Boom nodded quickly. "If a mega-neutron spike is placed in the middle, and-and then activated, we are talking seismic activity on a Quazar 3 level," he warned them.

"Interesting. No doubt this is why Grumm has decided to take a first hand look at the destruction himself," Kruger realised. When the Rangers had returned with the news that Grumm was on Earth, it had stunned him.

"I say we give Grumm a little destruction of his own," Jack decided.

"Be patient," Kruger told him. "Grumm is a cunning adversary. If we act too soon, we may fall into his trap," he warned.

"So...we wait?" Bridge asked with a frown.

"That may be a trap as well," Kruger shook his head.

"I was afraid you'd say that..." Bridge complained.

"Then the best course of action is to lay a trap our-" Spencer stopped as the doors opened, and Kayden stumbled in.

"Guys, we have a problem," he groaned, collapsing in a heap as soon as he stepped into the control room.

"Kayden!" they rushed to his side.

"He's really hurt," Z breathed, her eyes widened as they rolled him over to see him covered in burns. Spencer began to glow, touching his hands to Kayden's arm. He groaned, and relaxed his grip, letting a ball fall out of it.

"It's another message!" Syd gasped as it lit up.

" _Doggie Kruger, once again I have taken something of yours_ ," Benag moved to reveal Kat, sitting in the back with a belt around her waist. Kruger growled furiously.

"Benag, you will _pay_ for this!" he vowed.

' _Come alone, I will be waiting for you at Sector 4, area 6. You have one hour_ ,' Benag laughed loudly.

' _It's a trap Doggie_ ,' Kat warned him desperately.

' _Yes, I assure you, it is_ ,' the deep voice that sounded like it was being dragged through gravel sent shivers down the spines of the Rangers as another figure appeared, skeleton-like with glowing red eyes and one horn cut shorter than the other.

"Grumm..." Kruger snarled.

' _One hour Kruger, or the demolecularising belt will activate, and her molecules will scatter_ ,' Grumm warned as Kat's eyes widened, unable to hide her fear. ' _And she will vanish_ ,' Grumm laughed loudly.

' _Doggie_!" Kat cried out, before the message ended and the ball darkened. Spencer took a breath, not looking up from Kayden as he tried to focus on healing his friend, but the threat echoed in his head.

* * *

"Alright!" Kruger announced when Sky and Spencer returned from being Kayden to the infirmary. Most of his injuries had healed, but to ensure Spencer had enough energy left to fight, they'd brought him to the infirmary for the less threatening injuries to be treated. "It's time to move into action," the Commander decided.

"Sir, I think Z and I should go after Kat, and Sky should lead the others in stopping the seventh spike from being planted," Jack decided.

"I agree Sir," Sky nodded.

"A good plan," Kruger voiced his approval. "But not the one we'll employ. Jack, I want you and the Rangers to make sure that seventh spike is not secured," he ordered. Their eyes widened.

"But Sir? What about Kat?" Syd asked.

"We can't just leave her with Benag," Z argued.

"Sir, we leave no man behind," Bridge insisted. "Even when the man's a...woman," he corrected himself.

"And a cat," Annie added.

"I appreciate your concern for her, but I have given my orders," Kruger announced firmly.

"Then send the other six to stop the seventh spike. Let me go after Kat alone," Jack suggested.

"Do not _challenge_ my order!" Kruger snarled at him. " _Go_!" he yelled. With a growl, Jack led the way out.

"Is he seriously leaving Kat behind?" Z demanded.

"I don't think so," Spencer shook his head. "I think this is another case of the Commander not telling us everything again," he looked irritated, but they kept moving, knowing they had a job to do.

* * *

The Megazord braced itself, aiming the gun at where the robot was going to emerge.

"You guys ready for this?" Jack called. The others nodded, ready to take out the robot and be done with it.

"Hey guys," Annie called as the ground shook and the robot appeared. "Just how are we going to take the other spikes out?" she asked. The robot appeared, walking towards the last spike. They wrapped him in tape, and he stumbled back.

"Well, lucky for you I spent some time with my godfather when growing up," Spencer grinned as they approached him, blocking his path to the spike. "I've been working on something that will help us deactivate them," he explained as they grabbed the cuffs and approached the robot. However, it managed to knock them out of the Megazord's hands. It ripped out of the tape and knocked the Megazord to the ground, making the Rangers cry out.

"Come on guys, we can't give up!" Jack called, and they got back up, striking the robot with their sword. It staggered backwards, before catching itself.

"See if you like this!" the drill on the front began to spin. It approached them, and the Rangers let out yells, raising their sword up and slashing it. The robot was knocked backwards again with a cry, and they lifted their sword again.

"Let's do it!" the Rangers yelled, calling on their power, swinging down hard, they fired the blast that destroyed the robot, leaving the spike unplanted.

"We did it!" Syd smiled.

"Let's go, we gotta find Kat!" Jack yelled. They headed to the location Benag had given, and when they reached the quarry, they found Benag fighting another Ranger, wearing silver and black.

"Who's that?" Syd gasped.

"There's only one person it could be," Spencer laughed.

"Look, his sword!" Syd realised.

"It's Kruger!" Jack laughed.

"Alright!"

"Go DC!"

"You got this!" the Rangers cheered him on as Kruger turned to Benag, who was on the ground, badly beaten.

"It's Judgement Time!" Kruger grabbed his Morpher as Benag managed to get to his feet. "General Benag, you are charged with the obstruction of justice, and you will be judged!" he declared, activating it. The light flashed as Benag gasped. "You are charged with the destruction of five planets, and for atrocities around the galaxies," the light flashed red. "You are charged with the disappearance of Isinia Kruger, my wife!" it flashed again, turning green this time. "What?!" he gasped. Benag laughed.

"There is so much you do not know, Doggie Kruger," he taunted.

"Perhaps, but I do know where _you_ are going," Kruger raised his Shadow Sabre. He swung it down, and rushed at Benag, slashing across him and making the General scream as he was trapped inside the container. "Justice prevails," he sheathed his sabre as the Rangers cheered. "I vow from this day on, to crush evil wherever it hides," Kruger vowed.

"He's back in the fight!" Jack grinned.

"I knew it!" Syd cheered happily.

"That rocks!" Z smiled.

"That's our chief!" Sky nodded proudly.

"It sure is!" Bridge agreed with a laugh.

"Good he finally realised it," Spencer folded his arms.

"Just in time," Annie laughed.

"Hey, where'd he go?" Bridge asked when he suddenly moved.

"There he is!" Jack spotted him with Kat, carrying the woman effortlessly. They ran to join them, making sure their friend was okay.

* * *

Piggy's diner, which had moved from the car park it had been in before, was bustling once again, until one spotted several figures approaching.

"It's SPD!" he cried out a warning, and they all took off. Piggy rushed out to see his customers run off, and groaned.

"Let me guess who just pulled up," he growled, looking around to see the Rangers, plus Kat, Kayden, RIC and Boom approach.

"Hey Piggy," they greeted.

"Excuse me," Piggy approached, frustrated at their appearance. "But what part of never, ever, _ever ever ever_ come here _didn't_ you understand?" he demanded furiously.

"Come on Piggy, it's all good," Jack grinned at him easily.

"Oh yeah, it's swell," Piggy rolled his eyes. "I lose...forty customers, and get all of you!" he threw his arms in the air. "And that dog..." he eyed RIC nervously.

"Is he always so whiny?" Kayden asked, scratching the cut on his cheek. Z slapped his hand away. "Oh come on!" he groaned.

"Doc said no messing with it," she told him sternly.

"Come on Spence, just heal me and put me out of my misery," Kayden pleaded. Spencer grinned at him.

"I did enough for you, ungrateful jerk," he said as RIC barked at Piggy, making the others laugh.

* * *

"A toast," Kruger raised his glass. "My comrades in arms, comrades in friendship. And to you Kat, my dear friend, thank you for calling me out to be who I really am. Thank you for being there when I was not. Friends! My loyalty is to all of you, forever!" he declared, raising his glass. The others did the same, grinning before taking a drink.

"Enjoy! It's my best gutter water," Piggy's words made their eyes widen and they spat out the water, choking in disgust.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	12. Wired Part 1

**I can't believe we've already reached over 100 reviews! You guys are incredible, and I really appreciate you staying with me through my major writer's block!  
**

 **I hope you continue to enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 12: Wired Part 1

"So there's the Wind Ninja Academy, which has Wind, Earth and Water Ninjas," Bridge listed as he walked with Annie through the SPD base. "The Thunder Academy, which is just Thunder, and the Fire Academy, which is just Fire, and the Celestial Academy, which has Sun and Moon Ninjas?" he asked, and she nodded. "What about Ice? Or Lightning?" he asked.

"Why those?" Annie asked curiously. Bridge shrugged.

"Well you know, Fire, Ice. Thunder, Lightning," the Green Ranger said.

"Huh. Good point. No idea. It's just been those elements as far as I've known, but I was never big into my Ninja history. Just learning how to get the next guy on his face," she grinned, making Bridge laugh. "Why all the questions about Ninjas? You finally enrolling?" Annie teased him.

"Just curious!" Bridge told her. "I mean this is something totally new, well, Ninjas aren't new, but knowing that there's _real_ Ninjas is new," he explained.

"Right," Annie raised an eyebrow but smiled all the same. "Speaking of Ninjas, where's Spencer?" she asked him.

"Oh, he's outside training with a guy, I think he said he was his teacher," Annie frowned. "Master...something, he said his name was," Bridge tried to remember.

"Master Taurus?" Annie realised.

"Yeah! How'd you know?" Bridge nodded. Annie smiled.

"Minos is in town! Why didn't Spencer say anything?" she complained. "Come on, let's go see him!" she started jogged.

"But I already met him..." Bridge frowned.

"Come on!" Annie laughed.

* * *

Spencer hit the mat again with a groan, and opened his eyes to see the blue eyes of his teacher, shining in amusement.

"You're enjoying this," Spencer accused him, taking his teacher's hand.

"Well..." Minos shrugged, but was grinning as he pulled Spencer to his feet. "Let's go again," he said, running a hand through his blonde hair. Spencer nodded, falling into a fighting stance. The two began to spar again, unaware of their audience. Spencer threw a punch that Minos caught, before catching his other fist. It turned into a grappling match, and Spencer grinned as he pushed back against Minos. "You're as good as your father," Minos commented. "But unfortunately..." Spencer's grin dropped and his eyes widened as Minos hauled him into the air, tossing him aside. "I was always a little stronger," he laughed as Spencer landed in a heap, groaning.

"Ouch, that looked a little sore," Spencer looked up at the other Rangers, who gathered around him.

"Wish I could say that was the first time he's done that," Spencer sighed, getting back to his feet.

"Who is he?" Sky asked as Minos approached.

"Guys, this is Minos, or Master Taurus," Spencer told them. "He's been teaching me the way of Pai Zhuq from the moment I could convince him to," he grinned. "Minos, this is Jack, Sky, Bridge, Z and Syd, my team," he introduced.

"Hey," Minos raised a hand. "Good to see you again too, Annie," he smiled to the young woman, whom he'd known since she was a baby. Part of him was always surprised to see her, remembering those days well. "They know about Pai Zhuq?" he realised what Spencer had said.

"Yeah, kinda had to tell them about, you know, my heritage," Spencer nodded with a weak laugh.

"I see," Minos nodded.

"We better go, we've got training with D-Squad," Jack remembered. "It was nice meeting you man," he nodded to Minos, who raised his hand.

"Remember, keep practising that grapple Spencer. You're as good as your dad, but you have potential to get even better," Spencer frowned as the others headed off.

"Not really saying much," he commented. Minos snorted.

"Kid, one thing I learned, don't underestimate your dad. He's a good fighter when he has to be. His Spirit is strong," Spencer blinked, surprised at Minos' words. "I know it can be tough, trust me, I've known him a while, which is why I say 'when he has to be'. He nearly started a war with the Elves to protect his family. Remember that," Minos clapped a hand to Spencer's shoulder, making him flinch.

"Right. I better go," Spencer nodded slowly, and jogged off, his teacher's words still in his mind.

* * *

"So remember!" Sky called to the cadets opposite him. "You never know when your enemy is going to strike. Grumm and his goons rarely give an advanced notice," he said.

"Sky's right," Z spoke up next. "You have to be alert at all times," she told them firmly.

"Being ready and alert means that when an enemy _does_ show up, you'll be able to respond quickly," Spencer called out next. "They won't wait for you to be ready, they'll strike at the most opportune moment for them. So always be ready," he warned.

"Well," one of the cadets stepped forwards, smirking arrogantly. "If any of those Krybots try to mess with me...I'll be ready," he laughed.

"Oh, I was hoping he'd say that," Annie smirked, pressing a button. Beeping echoed behind the cadet, and he whirled around to find himself face-to-face with a Krybot. More leapt into view, attacking the cadets as the Rangers stood back and watched.

"Is she using him as a meat-shield?" Spencer asked as she watched one girl hiding behind another cadet.

"Seems so," Sky nodded.

"Think we should help them out?" Syd asked. Jack looked up from his notes, watching the Krybots overwhelming them.

"Maybe in a minute or two," the Red Ranger smirked. Syd grinned, and they went back to their notes.

"Hey, check it out," Bridge nodded to one of the cadets. She flipped through the air, easily fighting off the robots.

"Well...at least someone's got game," Jack commented, impressed.

"Yeah...she's kicking bot," Bridge commented, earning several glares. When she finished off the last of them, Annie sighed and pressed the button. "Not bad," the Green Ranger said as the girl looked around when the simulation disappeared. She lowered her fighting stance as Annie grumbled under her breath and handed over money to Spencer.

"Seriously guys, you need to stop betting on the newbies," Z hissed at them. Spencer just smiled innocently back. The four other recruits slowly pushed themselves to their feet, dazed.

"Okay, D-Squad!" Sky called as the cadets brushed themselves off. "Next time you might want to be a little more prepared," he told them.

"Let's regroup after lunch. And cadets?" they looked to Spencer, who had his arms folded. "Work harder next time, or you might want to reconsider your place at the academy," he told them. The cadets groaned, limping off as Syd approached the one who had managed to fend off the attack.

"Dude, Sensei much?" Annie whispered to him.

"Yeah, I don't know where that came from," Spencer shrugged, pushing his glasses back up. They glanced over to where Jack and Bridge were speaking to the girl, who was smiling shyly back at them. "She's pretty impressive," he commented to Annie.

"Yeah...she is," the Thunder Ninja murmured. Spencer arched an eyebrow, wondering what was going on in the mind of his friend.

* * *

"How was training?" Kayden smiled to Spencer and Annie as they walked into the control room.

"Which training? Spencer getting thrown across the field, or the D-Squad cadets getting their butts kicked?" Annie smirked. Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Oh? What happened to you? I know Annie always beats you, but I didn't think she was that strong," Kayden commented, folding his arms and wincing. He was still a little sore from his encounter with Benag, but most of his cuts and bruises were almost completely healed.

"I was training with Minos," Spencer frowned at him.

"Oh, I didn't realise he was in town. Looking forward to you getting tossed about plenty more then," Kayden grinned, and Annie laughed. Spencer gave a mocking laugh.

"Mock me all you will, but when I get that grapple down, I'll be doing the same to you," he warned the cousins. They exchanged smirks.

"Sure, you beating Annie at something. Let me know when that happens, because clearly it'll be the end of the world," Kayden told him.

"Who's side are you on?!" Spencer demanded.

"The side that won't kick my ass if I agree with her," Kayden told him seriously. Annie smirked as she leaned her elbow on his shoulder. Spencer sighed, unable to argue that logic.

"Welcome to the extremely cool and high-tech command centre," they looked around to see Bridge guiding the new girl in. She looked around, fascinated. "Notice the many buttons and switches," he grinned.

"This must be the Cadet you suggested for our computer intern," Kat approached the two.

"Yep! Sophie, I'm sure you've heard all about our resident brainiac, Doctor Manx," Kat smiled bashfully at the praise. "Then there's Kayden, her second in command and our kind of team coach," Kayden raised a hand.

"Sup," he greeted. "Wait, team coach? When did that happen?" he glanced to the two beside him.

"Since you give us little pep-talks?" Spencer snorted. Kayden frowned.

"I do not!" he argued.

"You so do," Spencer insisted.

"And yes, it's always like that when they're around," Kat told Sophie, who laughed.

"And of course, the big dog, Commander Kruger," Bridge introduced Sophie as Kruger approached.

"Cadet," he nodded.

"I can't believe I'm meeting you all in person," she smiled shyly.

"Sophie knows _a ton_ about computers," Bridge explained. "I mean, maybe even more than me," he shrugged, looking impressed with the girl.

"I'm so honoured to be here sir, it's always been my dream to be part of SPD," Sophie told Kruger.

"Well, from what I've heard, you're off to a good start," he nodded. Sophie looked down at the screens in front of her.

"This looks like a complicated system, I'm not familiar with it," she commented.

"It's the upgrade programme for DBDS, the Delta Base Defence System," Kat explained. "It'll be amazing, _if_ I ever finish sequencing the algorithms," she sighed.

"Keep at it, Miss Manx, we know you can do it," Kruger told her confidently.

"Well maybe if my _second in command_ wasn't so easily distracted," she shot Kayden a look, and he cleared his throat, walking over.

"Hey, I build the hardware, you do all the genius stuff Doc," Kayden grinned. "She's the genius here. I just help make it look good," he confided in Sophie, winking at her. The girl couldn't help but laugh as Kat rolled her eyes.

"Then how about getting to work with it?" she asked him sternly.

"Anything for you Doc," Kayden grinned. "This upgrade is gonna be off the hook dudes, laters!" he called, leaving.

"Someone seriously needs to tell him what year it is," Spencer said to Annie, and when she didn't respond, he frowned and looked at her. "Yo, what's up?" he asked as she watched Sophie with an unreadable expression. Suddenly the ground began to shake, and Spencer caught Annie as she fell. His brow furrowed even more. Annie never lost her balance in such a way.

"What's happening?" Sophie cried, hanging onto the console.

"What is it Kat?" Kruger looked to her quickly.

"Unidentified seismic activity in sector 17," she said.

"You and the Rangers go investigate," Kruger ordered. Kat nodded, and she hurried off with Bridge, Spencer and Annie.

* * *

Pulling up where the disturbance had been picked up, the Rangers and Kat approached a massive hole in the ground.

"Whoa," Z gulped.

"This is the epicentre of the disturbance," Kat determined.

"Yeah, I can believe that," Spencer ran a hand through his hair.

"This thing is massive," Jack frowned.

"Well it doesn't look like an earthquake caused it," Z commented.

"Maybe it's some sort of excavation site," Syd considered.

"It would take a massive machine to dig a hole this big," Sky frowned.

"Or..." Spencer swallowed nervously.

"Or what?" Jack asked him.

"Dig out of it," Kat finished for the Gold Ranger.

"Hmm...I'm thinking giant gophers," Bridge suggested. The others looked at him with droll stares. "Anyone else?" he asked, looking to each of them.

"Something tells me it's a little more dangerous than giant gophers," Spencer commented.

"And whatever it is, it's still out there," Kat reminded them.

* * *

"Annie, what is up with you?" Spencer asked as he caught up to the Silver Ranger. "You've barely spoken unless you have to. You haven't even made any snarky comments to Sky today. And that's weird," Spencer told the blonde. She looked away.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," she insisted.

"You're a terrible liar Annie. Seriously, what is up?" Annie frowned and kept walking, but Spencer followed her. "Dude, you know I'm going to bug you till you tell me. It's how we roll," he pointed out.

"It's nothing Spence, I'm just tired and want to be left alone!" she snapped at him. Spencer stopped, his eyes wide in surprise, and Annie bit her lip, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just..." she trailed off, and kept walking as Spencer followed. When they stepped into the rec room, Annie stopped abruptly, watching Bridge talking brightly to Sophie as he ate.

"Annie?" Spencer glanced to her, and followed her gaze. "Oh," his eyes lit up. " _Oh_ ," he couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" Annie snapped at him.

"You're _jealous_ of the new girl," Annie felt her cheeks blaze at Spencer's accusation.

"You're crazy!" she almost shouted, which only made Spencer laugh more.

"Seriously Annie? That's what this is about?" Annie scowled, going even redder as Spencer tried to stop laughing. "I'm sorry Annie, but I've been worried all day. So has Kayden. We thought something was really wrong with you," Sophie suddenly jumped up from the table and practically ran away from Bridge, who had been in the middle of removing a glove. She almost ran into the pair, her eyes growing wider. Annie frowned, seeing something that she didn't expect, but Sophie ran off before she could say anything.

"Spencer, if you don't stop laughing..." Annie growled when Spencer almost doubled over laughing. When he didn't stop, her eye twitched.

There was a loud crash, and Spencer's laughter turned to a cry of pain. Bridge looked up in alarm to see Annie pinning Spencer to the ground, her knee in the small of his back as she pressed his face to the ground. "Knock it off!" she snapped at him.

"That's more like it," Spencer managed to say, despite his face being pressed into the ground.

"Um...Annie?" she looked up quickly as Bridge blinked at her. "What are you doing?" he asked curiously. She let Spencer up, and the Gold Ranger stood slowly, rubbing his back.

"She's reminding me why I don't make fun of her," he told Bridge.

"Oh...I thought that was a given," Bridge smiled. "She'd kick all our butts," he said. Annie's expression hardened, and she turned away.

"I've got training," she muttered, leaving abruptly as Bridge's smile fell.

"Why is everyone running away from me today?" he asked. Spencer shook his head, rubbing his still stinging nose.

"And they call me oblivious," he muttered. Bridge just blinked, not understanding what he meant.

* * *

The next morning, the Rangers met the D-Squad cadets they had been training out the front of the SPD base. Annie was still irritable, glaring at Spencer as he tried to hide his amusement.

"Here on the streets is where it all happens," Sky told the rigid cadets. "It is up to us to keep the peace and quiet," he said, only for an explosion to knock both groups off their feet. The Rangers flipped through the air, managing to right themselves, but the D-Squad weren't so lucky, landing on the ground hard. Looking up quickly as they heard laughter, they found an alien in white armour holding a blaster, with a group of Krybots behind him.

"You okay?" Jack called as they pulled the cadets to their feet.

"I'm sorry, was that disturbing the peace?" he asked mockingly.

"Cadets, this is no test, this is the real deal," Jack warned them as he pushed them back.

"You have something I want. And I'm here to get it!" the alien declared.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jack frowned.

"A Series One Processor Hyper Intelligence Encrypter. _Surrender_ it now or pay the price!" the alien demanded. The Rangers frowned, none of them knowing what he was talking about.

"Even if we knew what you meant, we aren't going to give _anything_ to you," Spencer told him, falling into a fighting stance.

"Except maybe 20 years in containment," Syd added.

"Out of my way!" he growled

"I don't think so," Sky frowned at him.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed and began to fight off their opponents, with Z and Syd fighting the alien. He tossed them aside, and as Sky and Spencer jumped in, he kicked them away. Seeing Sophie on the ground, he turned to her.

"There you are!" he began to move towards her, blasting her when she tried to run.

"Leave her alone!" Annie leapt in and slashed across his chest, making him cry out.

"Get out of my way!" he blasted the Silver Ranger, and continued towards the injured girl on the ground. However, before he could reach her, the ground rumbled and shook, making the alien cry out in alarm as he struggled to remain standing. In his disorientation, he didn't see the large hammer coming for him. It slammed into his chest, and he was tossed aside.

"Excuse me, but even I knew better than to pick on innocent civilians," the Rangers looked up in surprise to see an unfamiliar figure wearing brown and black armour with large horns.

"Whoa, who _is_ that?" Z gasped, her eyes wide as they knocked aside the Krybots that got in their way. Spencer laughed as he saw Minos protecting Sophie, his hammer over his shoulder. He then lifted it, slamming it down hard, and the ground shook again, giving him a chance to knock him back again.

"Get these guys to safety, I'll help out here," Minos told Bridge as he ran over. The Green Ranger nodded, helping Sophie to her feet before guiding her and the others back inside.

"Thanks for the help," Spencer said as he ran over to him. Minos rested his hammer over his shoulder again; the long handle making it almost as long as he was.

"Well I was hardly going to sit back and watch," Minos snorted. Spencer laughed again, and they continued to fight. However, the alien suddenly blasted all of them, throwing them off the bridge and down to a lower section.

"Didn't see that coming," Jack gulped. When the ground began to shake again, they found a giant robot appearing in the city, emerging from underground.

"That's bad!"

"No kidding!"

"Now what?" Sky groaned.

"Perfect timing! Now attack the Delta Base!" the alien ordered. The robot turned to the base, and began to fire.

"We gotta stop them!" Jack yelled, grabbing his Morpher. ' _Kat! We need the Delta Runners_!" he told her.

' _The exit doors are getting blasted!_ " Kat replied. ' _They'll be destroyed_ ,' she told them.

"Then how can we stop the _base_ from getting destroyed?" Annie demanded. Lasers were then fired from the base, blasting the robot back. The base began to move suddenly, changing shape and moving towards the robot.

"That's new," Minos commented, tilting his head as they stared in shock.

"The whole base is moving!"

"It's incredible!"

"Kat, you've done it again!"

"Great work Kat!"

"It's so cool," the Rangers laughed in amazement. Blasts were fired from the turrets on top, but even it wasn't enough to take out the robot.

"It's still not enough," Annie frowned as the robot blasted the base again.

"Alright, then I guess I'll step in," Minos shook his head and walked away from the Rangers.

"Where are you going?" Sky frowned, watching him.

"Getting you an opening so you can get your Zords," Minos shrugged, his brown aura surrounding him. "Spirit of the Bull!" his Animal Spirit bellowed as it rose from him, growing in size and becoming more corporeal as Minos leapt up to it.

"How'd he do that?" Jack demanded as they watched the bull slam into the robot.

"It's an advanced Pai Zhuq technique. The Jungle Fury Rangers used it to form their Zords," Spencer explained as they watched the Bull knock away the robot. Jack's Morpher then beeped loudly.

' _Rangers, I'm sending you the Runners_ ,' Kat announced. The base opened the bay doors, and the Runners emerged, heading into battle. The Rangers leapt up into their Zords as Minos moved back to let them form the Megazord and face off against the robot.

"Come and get me!" the robot goaded, and they blasted him before leaping aside to dodge his attack. They blasted the robot again, before he came at them with his sword. Grabbing their own, they clashed, pushing back. "I've got you now!" he laughed as they pushed him. Both were then pushed back, and they grabbed their blaster again, blasting the robot repeatedly before leaping into the air. With a powerful strike, they damaged the robot, making him unable to move. Raising their blaster, they aimed it at him, charging it up.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Fire!" the Rangers blasted the robot several times, destroying it.

"Got em!" Bridge grinned, before the ground began to shake again.

"What now?" Annie called as the Megazord stumbled. Clawed arms burst from the ground, raised over the destroyed robot.

"No way!"

"What?"

"You're kidding!"

"What is that?" the claws then wrapped around the robot, and dragged it underground. It disappeared, leaving behind a hole.

* * *

"So that was Goradon," Syd commented as the Rangers walked through their base.

"He's probably going to use the energy from that other robot to make himself even stronger," Sky frowned at the thought.

"Then we'll need to find a way to stop him before he trashes the city," Spencer commented.

"Hey, hold on guys, I just wanna see how Sophie's doing," Bridge remembered as they passed the D-Squad rooms. The doors to Sophie's room slid open, and they stepped in, freezing as she looked up with wide eyes.

"Why didn't you tell us you're a Cyborg?" Jack asked her softly when she struggled to think of what to say.

"I couldn't! You would have kicked me out of SPD if you knew!" she told him, looking scared.

"So instead you hide it from us?" Syd frowned.

"Like we wouldn't find out some day," Z shook her head.

"You know this stuff is supposed to be declared," Spencer folded his arms.

"You're all forgetting one thing," they glanced at Sky. "The Command Centre computer was hacked last night," he pointed out.

"Kayden said not a trace of evidence was left behind," Annie remembered what her cousin had told her. "No fingerprints, nothing," she frowned.

"Who wants to bet she did it?" Sky accused, scowling at Sophie.

"Alright, it was me," Sophie admitted, knowing she was cornered. "But I was only trying to help!" she insisted.

"And we're supposed to start believing you now?" Sky demanded.

"Why did you do it?" Annie asked her softly, making the others glance to her in surprise. She was frowning, but there was a gentleness to her voice that they hadn't expected from their short-fused Silver Ranger.

"I was trying to help!" Sophie insisted.

"You're a security risk to the entire base," Sky told her.

"Bridge, tell them! I'd never do anything to hurt you guys," Sophie pleaded. "I'm as loyal to SPD as any of you," she looked up at the Green Ranger, who had been silent the whole time. Bridge glanced to the other Rangers, before shaking his head.

"I don't know what to believe Sophie," he told her softly.

"I guess it's unanimous decision. You're expelled from the Academy," nobody spoke as Sophie got up and walked out, keeping her eyes lowered.

* * *

Rubbing her still damaged arm, Sophie leaned against a wall, closing her eyes as she berated herself.

"You're looking a little bummed out," she jumped, opening her eyes to find Kayden standing in front of her. "Sophie, right?" he smiled.

"Right," she nodded slowly.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

"I got expelled," Kayden's easy smile dropped in his surprise.

"What? Why?" he asked, confused.

"I lied about who...what I am," Sophie reluctantly lowered her sleeve, and his eyes widened.

"A cyborg...you're the one who hacked into the computer?" he asked her carefully. Sophie looked away.

"I was trying to help!" she insisted.

"I see. Well, come on then," she frowned, watching as Kayden pushed himself back up.

"Where are we going?" she asked slowly, confused. Kayden grinned at her.

"Back to talk to the others," he told her. Sophie's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "What, they let you explain?" he asked with a glimmer of amusement.

"I just didn't know what to say...I lied to them," she shook her head.

"Just who I've been looking for!" they looked around and Sophie gasped, backing away as the alien from before leaned against the wall beside them. He laughed as Kayden stepped in front of her, wondering just how he kept ending up in these situations.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! Please review!**


	13. Wired Part 2

Chapter 13: Wired Part 2

"Dude, step back," Kayden warned the red-faced alien, standing in front of Sophie protectively. "Just leave us alone," he warned. The alien let out a laugh.

"I'm not here for you boy, just that thing," Kayden sighed, and Valko rushed at him, knocking Kayden out of the way. He then grabbed Sophie by the arm. "You work for me now, Super Computer! Prepare to control Goradon!" he announced.

"This Super Computer has a name!" she twisted out of Valko's grip and flipped through the air. "It's Sophie! And I'll never work for evil!" she told him, and they began to fight as Kayden got back to his feet and helped Sophie fight the alien. He kicked Valko backwards, and Sophie flipped over his shoulders, kicking the blaster out of his hands. However, he was far stronger than he pair, knocking them back.

"Just give up!" Valko snapped at them.

"Power of Water!" Sophie looked around in surprise when Kayden fired a jet of water at Valko, slamming him hard into a building. "Come on," Kayden called, and they began to run.

* * *

Watching as the D-Squad cadets trained, the Rangers didn't speak much, still thinking about Sophie.

"I was just thinking," Bridge spoke up as Syd and Z corrected the stances of the cadets. "Did we do the right thing expelling Sophie? I mean, she seemed pretty devoted," he looked up a the others standing nearby.

"Devoted, sure, but devoted to what?" Jack shrugged.

"She didn't tell us the truth Bridge, so how could we ever trust her?" he asked.

"Yeah...I guess you're right," Bridge accepted, but didn't sound very happy about it. Annie watched him, before realising Spencer's gaze was on her.

"What?" she snapped at him, and the smallest of smiles showed on his face.

"You should just tell him," Annie's scowl darkened at Spencer's quiet words.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she told him. Spencer rolled his eyes, but didn't push it. And she'd called him stubborn.

"Rangers," they looked around and stood to attention at Kruger's call. "At ease. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the last count, we had five new recruits. I only see four," he frowned.

"Sir, we found the mole that accessed the SPD computer. It was one of the new recruits. Sophie," Jack explained to him. "She was a Cyborg," he explained.

"A Cyborg?" Kruger repeated, surprised.

"Sir, in pursuit of section 4-B/W in the SPD handbook, would state that any person found to be a danger to SPD or its infrastructure at all, can and should be banished from the premises, so we banished her, Sir," Sky told him. "I mean, banished it."

"Did you swallow a handbook or something?" Annie rolled her eyes, earning a glare.

"Just because she is a Cyborg, does not make her our enemy," Kruger growled. "Find her and return her to SPD _immediately_ ," he ordered.

"Yessir!" they called, running off as Kruger sighed.

* * *

Piggy was speaking to one of his customers, handling his busy diner, when suddenly they all took off. He frowned in confusion, before realisation dawned on him and he sighed.

"Let me guess. Humans wearing SPD uniforms," he grumbled, turning around.

"Piggy, we need your help. Have you seen this cyborg?" Z held up a picture of Sophie's face. Spencer's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't speak.

"Of course you need my help. But why should I help you?" he walked away, but they followed him. "Every time you come around, you scare away my customers!" Piggy yelled at them.

"Why are they afraid of us?" Sky asked. "They're the monsters," he said.

"Humans! You're so...ethnocentric!" Piggy groaned. "Don't you realise that to them, _you're_ the monsters? Take her for instance," he snatched the picture of Sophie up. "She looks human, yet you refer to her as a Cyborg. Is she nothing more to you than circuits and wires?" he challenged.

"She's a lot more than that," Bridge told him. "And that's why we have to find her. Can you help us or not?" he asked. Piggy stuck the picture up.

"I haven't seen her," he snapped, turning and getting back into his camper van.

* * *

Sophie and Kayden ran through the city, trying to escape Valko as he chased after them. They'd tried to get back to SPD, but he'd cut them off, and Kayden had dropped his phone when they'd first been attacked.

"You can't escape!" Valko yelled, and the pair leapt over a mother pushing a pram in their path. With a growl, Valko blasted them again, but they dodged and kept running until they reached an alley. Piggy peered out, recognising Sophie from her picture.

"Sophie, I have an idea," Kayden turned to her. "I can get back to SPD in a second, but I can't take you with me. You hide here, and I'll get help, okay?" he asked as she stared fearfully at him.

"You'll come back?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," Kayden smiled confidently at her. Sophie nodded, and he turned, streaking off. Sophie then ducked under a table, hoping nobody was paying them any heed.

* * *

Regrouping, the Rangers all shrugged, not having found any sign of Sophie.

"No luck," Z shook her head.

"You know, Piggy was right. If Sophie wasn't a Cyborg, we wouldn't have thrown her out on the streets without asking some questions first," Bridge pointed out.

"Humans have a tendency to judge anyone who aren't like them," Spencer ran a hand through his hair. "It's just always how it's been. First we treat them normally, then we find out the truth and turn on them," he muttered, looking away.

"That doesn't sound like you're just talking about Sophie," Z accused him with a frown. Spencer gave a wry smile and a low laugh.

"Yeah, well, when your friends find out you're not entirely human, it leaves a bit of a mark," he shrugged.

"What are you talking about?" Sky asked curiously. Spencer sighed.

"Well, I'm not entirely human either," he admitted. Their eyes widened in surprise.

"What, you're part robot?" Syd asked, and Spencer couldn't help but laugh. He shook his head, looking amused.

"Nothing like that Syd," Spencer grinned at her. "My mum's side of the family are from another dimension, the Magical Dimension that can be accessed through the portal in Briarwood," their eyes widened and they stared at him. "See? Your perceptions of me just changed," he commented.

"But you're..."

"I look human, and so does Sophie," Spencer said to Z as she went to speak. "I mean, it's nothing like with Sophie, but still, I know how she feels. Which makes me agreeing to kick her out makes me even more of an asshole," he muttered, shaking his head.

"We thought we were doing the right thing Spencer," Syd told him with a soft smile. "I just can't believe I'm prejudiced," she complained.

"It's cool Syd, you learn from your mistakes," Spencer patted her shoulder.

* * *

"You have to be patient!" Kat was saying to Kruger as he grew frustrated with the lack of progress.

"Commander," they looked around to see Kayden run in, covered in cuts and bruises. "Sophie's in trouble, that alien from before, he-" before he could warn them, the ground began to shake and the alarm blared. "Oh, that's not good," he gulped.

"I don't know if we have time to be patient any more," Kruger glanced to Kat.

* * *

"There are Cyborgs all over town," Sky commented as the Rangers looked around for any sign of Sophie or the alien from before. They'd been contacted by Kayden, who'd warned them that Valko was after her. "Why would anyone want to capture Sophie?" he asked.

"Wait a minute!" Bridge gasped, turning abruptly to them. "What did the alien say he was after?" he asked them. When they all looked blank, Bridge turned and did a handstand against the wall. After a moment, his eyes shot open. "Sophie!" he realised, flipping back the right way up. "S-O-P-H-I-E? Series One Processor?"

"Hyper..."

"Intelligence..."

"Encrypter!"

"We practically handed her to them," Bridge groaned.

"I say we split up," Sky suggested. "Form a grid and start checking door-to-door," the others nodded.

"Or we could ask him," Spencer commented, and they frowned until he moved slightly to reveal Piggy leaning against the wall.

"With that plan, I'm glad I'm not the one being held captive," he smirked.

"How did you know she's being held captive?" Z demanded.

"No, better question for Piggy is: how much is it gonna cost us?" Jack asked with a raised eyebrow. Piggy smiled.

"For one year, the seven of you stay away from my wagon," Piggy told them.

"One day."

"Six months."

"One hour."

"One month."

"One minute."

"One day," Jack winked at him.

"Deal."

"Deal," Piggy nodded as the others exchanged looks. "Valko snatched the girl and took her to the Wary Woods," he informed them.

"Come on!" Jack called to his team, and they took off. "Thanks Piggy!" he shouted back to the alien, who finally realised Jack's trick.

* * *

"This way guys," Annie called as they walked through the woods, following the Silver Ranger as she tracked Valko and Sophie's path.

"Sometimes, I think you might be weirder than Spencer," Jack commented as they looked around.

"Rude," Annie glanced to him, insulted.

"I don't think anyone's weirder than Spencer. Except maybe Bridge," Z considered, making them grin. They were suddenly blasted off their feet, landing hard and looking up at Valko as he approached.

"Hello Rangers," he greeted with a growl. "Have a ball!" he tossed a ball into the air as they got back to their feet, and it burst open to form a group of Kelzacks. "Krybots! Attack!" he ordered. The Rangers began to fight, using their powers to take them down.

"Whoops," Spencer grinned as they slammed into his shield. Those that had stayed back, received several orbs of sun energy to the face.

"Sky of Wonder!" Annie held a hand up to the sky, and rumbling followed as she smirked. "Power of Thunder!" she then threw her hand out, and a ripple of energy burst from her, destroying the Kelzacks around her. When Valko tried to blast them again, they leapt through the air, Morphing as they did.

"Nice suits!" Valko sniffed, and the Rangers began to fight him, easily overpowering him. Bridge grabbed his Morpher, holding it out to them.

"You stand accused of serious crimes. Prepare to be judged," he activated it, and the light flashed.

"You won't find her!" Valko warned them with a laugh. "It's too late!" the light flashed red.

"RIC!" they summoned the Canine Cannon.

"You're not the only ones with fun gadgets! I didn't get this far with just my looks!" Valko disappeared, and they looked around.

"Where'd he go?" Jack called, but Valko was gone. His Morpher began to beep. "It's Kat," Jack grabbed his Morpher.

' _Rangers! Goradon has erupted in the city_ ,' she warned. ' _I'm sending the Zords_ ,' the Runners shot through the city, and the Rangers formed their Megazord.

"We gotta stop it!" Jack called as Goradon emerged from his hole, towering over the Megazord.

"Oh, that's a big dude," Spencer gulped. They blasted him repeatedly, but their attacks didn't even leave a scratch.

"Whoa, not even a dent," Bridge frowned. Goradon lashed out repeatedly.

"Now what do we do?" Syd asked as they dodged.

"Power Strike, now!" they leapt into the air and swung hard, but their sword just bounced off the armour. It was knocked from their hand, landing near the creature.

"Our sword," Bridge yelled. Goradon then wrapped its claws around them, lifting the Megazord into the air.

"Oh dude, he's gonna eat us?" Spencer yelled as their Megazord groaned.

"Kat, do something!" Jack called.

" _Hang on guys! I'll hit him with everything we've got_ ," she told them. The base began to move, just as it had done before, moving towards Goradon and blasting him. The Megazord was dropped to the ground heavily.

"Thanks Kat!" Jack grinned.

" _Rangers, return to base immediately_ ," Kruger ordered, taking them by surprise. Reluctantly they did so, heading back to the Command Centre.

"Sophie! You're okay!" Bridge smiled at her as he saw the girl standing by the console with Kayden, who looked a little worse for wear.

"No time for teary reunions," the Shadow Ranger told them. "We cannot defeat Goradon with our weaponry, and Phase Two isn't sequenced yet," he explained.

"I can do it," they looked at Sophie in surprise. She slid up her sleeve to reveal a jack that opened. "If you plug me directly into the SPD mainframe, I can sequence the algorithms for Phase 2," she explained.

"You could also destroy SPD from the inside-out, if you wanted to," Kat pointed out.

"She could also fry her circuits if she gets to close to the anti-virus firewall," Bridge pointed out defensively. "I trust her," he told them. "Guys?" he looked up hopefully.

"That's what you were trying to do before, wasn't it?" Annie earned Sophie's attention. She looked nervously at the standoffish Thunder Ninja, who always seemed to be looking right through her, seeing everything. "You were trying to help Kat sequence Phase 2 faster without letting anyone know," she accused. Sophie nodded.

"Yes," she admitted.

"Well, then I say we let her," Annie decided.

"Who are you and what did you do with Annie?" Spencer asked as Bridge smiled at her. Annie then slapped him across the back of the head, and he yelped, moving to Z's other side. "Okay, I agree," he muttered.

"Let her do it," Syd smiled.

"Definitely."

"I'm all for it," Jack nodded, and Sophie smiled at them.

"Sky? It must be a unanimous decision," Kruger pointed out. He was silent for a moment, before sighing and giving a weak smile.

"Apparently I'm a monster too, so no more judgements," he told her. "You're alright in my book," he nodded, and Sophie's smile grew.

"Wow, Sky too? I think you're changing things here already Sophie," Syd grinned as she elbowed Sky. He rolled his eyes, going red at her teasing.

"Okay everyone, get back to your Zords and prepare to upload," Kruger instructed.

"Yessir!" they called, running off.

"I'm just saying, between you and Annie, things are looking a little nicer," Syd prodded Sky, who swatted her away.

"Do you have to?" he grumbled, looking at her irritably as his blush grew. She grinned at him, and they kept running.

Returning to their Megazord, they prepared for battle, and saw the base start to change again. They all let out cries of shock, watching as it transformed into a Megazord.

"Now that is awesome!" Annie laughed. Their Megazord, which only reached the waist of the SPD base, approached it and stood in front of it. Chutes came down and connected with the Megazord, and the doors behind the Rangers opened, letting them run up to their new cockpit.

"What's next Commander?" Jack asked as they found the Commander already sitting.

"Take your positions," he instructed, and they all stood at their consoles, with Syd and Z on either side of Kruger, Jack behind him with Sky and Spencer on one side, and Bridge and Annie on the other.

"Delta Command Megazord!" they locked in with their Morphers, and the cockpit flashed.

"Rangers, let's do this!" Kruger called. They approached Goradon, blasting him with lasers on their legs. Goradon shrieked, rushing at them, but he was knocked back by more lasers.

"Full power!" they fired a powerful blast, and destroyed Goradon.

* * *

"Hey!" Annie jumped as Bridge fell into step beside her.

"Hey Bridge, where's Sophie?" she asked curiously.

"Talking with the Commander and Kat," Bridge grinned. "So, hypothetically..." he started, and Annie glanced at him, raising her eyebrow.

"Bridge, the last two times you've started with that, you've asked if I'd tell you how ninja-streaking works, and how to disappear in a smoke screen. What are you looking to find out now?" Annie asked in amusement.

"When we were fighting Valko, you controlled thunder," Annie started laughing.

"Not telling you that either," he pouted at her. She nudged him with her shoulder, grinning. "How about _you_ tell me just how you turned a computer into a toaster," she challenged him. He grinned back at her, and Annie rolled her eyes, glancing away as her cheeks mottled red again.

* * *

Sky let out a frustrated growl as he struggled to get the machine working as the Rangers relaxed in the rec room. Spencer looked up from his book with a grin.

"Having problems there?" he asked the Blue Ranger.

"These robots _never_ work," he complained irritably.

"Need some help with that?" Sky's eyes widened as Sophie walked over and got it working. Spencer couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh shut up," Sky frowned at him. "Thanks," he said as his drink appeared. "I didn't mean..."

"I know," Sophie laughed. Sky flushed in embarrassment.

"Hey!" to his relief, Bridge and Annie walked in. "I heard SPD's number one IT girl is being stationed in the Theta Quadron to overhaul their systems," Bridge announced.

"Awesome," the others congratulated her as Sophie smiled bashfully.

"I can finally use my programmes to help everyone in the galaxy," she told them proudly.

"Well, I better go get my butt handed to me again by Minos before he leaves," Spencer got to his feet and stretched.

"Oh, now that's always something I'm happy to watch," Annie smirked. Spencer gave a mocking laugh, and they headed out as Bridge glanced back at them, his smile faltering very slightly. Jack just rolled his eyes.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	14. Recognition

**So wasn't going to update again till the weekend, then remembered I'm going to be in Dublin all weekend so won't have a chance. So thought I'd update now!  
**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 14: Recognition

All but Jack and Sky sat in the rec room, relaxing while they got the chance. Z looked up from her book to see Spencer still on the phone across the way, laughing as he spoke to whoever was on the other end.

"Hey Annie," Z glanced to the Silver Ranger, who had been talking to Bridge about motocross. She glanced up with a smile, and Z looked over at Spencer again. "Who's Spencer talking to?" she asked curiously.

"Huh?" Annie glanced to her friend. "Oh, it'll be his mum," she realised, smiling mysteriously. Z arched an eyebrow. Clearly Annie knew something that she didn't, and judging from Syd and Bridge's blank looks, they were just as clueless. Before she could press the matter, the alarms suddenly blared. Spencer ended his call and they ran to the command centre, where Jack and Sky were already waiting.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed, and headed to their Zords. They combined into their Megazord, and began to fight the robot attacking the city.

"You will pay for that!" Wootox warned as the Megazord landed a blow to his robot. He blasted the Megazord, knocking them back. "There are other cities to destroy! I'm outta here!" he leapt into the air.

"He's a fast one," Z frowned.

"Sure is," Syd nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Bridge asked.

"He's going to aim for another city!" Annie realised.

"We should have got him!" Jack groaned.

"Maybe we still can!" Sky told them. "Commander?" he called. A moment later, the Delta Command Megazord formed.

Wootox laughed as he flew off towards the edge of the city, proud of his escape. However, before he could reach it, he suddenly found his path blocked by the Delta Command Megazord.

"Freeze, SPD!" Jack yelled as the alien cried out in alarm.

"Fire Finger Lasers!" Wootox yelled as his robot was destroyed, and he crashed to the ground. The Rangers then leapt out and ran towards him. "You really think you can defeat Wootox, the Destroyer?" he mocked.

"Dude, the only thing you're destroying is my eyesight with that hair of yours," Spencer told him flatly.

"You're coming with us," Jack told Wootox as the alien growled.

"Says who?!"

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Six! SPD Gold!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Ready! Space Patrol Delta, Defenders of Earth!"

"Big deal!" Wootox scoffed, unimpressed.

"Yes it is, and you're under arrest!" Sky told him. "Put your hands up," he ordered. The Rangers went to fight, and Wootox sighed.

"Foolish, foolish humans," he then fired a blast that they managed to avoid, and they began fighting. They easily overpowered the alien, and before long, he found himself on his knees with them pointing their weapons at him.

"I've got this one," Sky said confidently, cuffing Wootox as he cried out in horror.

"No! I can't believe this!" he yelled.

"We're taking you in. Come on guys," Sky shoved Wootox along.

* * *

"Alright Annie, spill," Z ordered, leaning on the table in front of the Ranger, who was flipping through a comic.

"What did I spill?" she asked innocently.

"What are you and Spencer hiding?" she asked. Annie just blinked, maintaining her innocent look. "Oh come on Annie, we all know you're hiding something," Z told her firmly. Annie finally dropped the innocent look and laughed.

"It's a surprise. And don't worry, you'll like it," the Thunder Ninja told her. Z frowned.

"What are you talking about? What surprise?" she asked.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Annie replied, her innocent look returning. Z groaned, irritated by her refusal to answer. "Look Z," Annie laughed, seeing her irritation. "Just keep tomorrow afternoon free, okay?" Z frowned, remembering that Kruger had given them all the day off tomorrow. She wondered if it had something to do with that. "Hey, you know that dude we took down earlier?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Wootox?" Z asked, and Annie nodded.

"This dude is known as the 'Destroyer', wanted in several galaxies," Annie pointed out. "We took him down really easily, don't you think?" she asked. Z arched an eyebrow.

"If that's your view on easy, I don't want to see hard," she said. Annie sighed.

"Easier than some of our battles," she said. Z couldn't help but agree.

"Maybe he's just all talk. I mean he did try to escape, maybe that's his game?" she suggested.

"True...but I can't help having a bad vibe about the whole thing. Probably just being paranoid," the Silver Ranger shrugged.

"Maybe too many of these," Z suggested, indicating to the comic. "I didn't know you read them," she commented.

"Yeah, was something Spencer and Kayden got me into when we were little. I try to keep it quiet but you know, we should be ourselves," Annie shrugged. The doors slid open, and they glanced up to see Syd storming in.

"You guys aren't going to believe what Sky did!" she huffed.

"What? He didn't ask you out?" Z smirked. If Syd's face hadn't been red in anger, it would have been now as Z and Annie laughed.

"No! I told you I'm not into Sky!" she put her hands on her hips. Annie chuckled, but it died down when she saw how upset Syd was.

"What happened Syd?" she asked, a little more gently this time as they sat down on the sofas.

"He just _walked_ into my room while I was..." she hesitated. "Looking in the mirror," Syd cleared her throat. Annie raised an eyebrow.

"Singing into the hairbrush again?" Z asked, and Syd huffed.

"That's not the point!" she exclaimed. "He just barged into my room _without_ knocking, looking around, and just left without apologising!" Syd told them.

"He came into our room?" Z frowned.

"That's not like him," Annie murmured, before looking up to see Sky walking in. Her eyebrow arched as she saw his dishevelled appearance. His hair, normally neat and tidy, stuck up on end, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"There he is! He just _barged_ into our room!" Syd growled.

"Pretty serious charges, Mr. SPD Handbook Monitor," Z folded her arms as she scowled at Sky. Annie would have smiled, had she not been just as annoyed. While they bickered a lot and Z teased Syd, they did care for one another. "Rule 4078-B, Cadets will not enter another Cadet's living quarters _without_ invitation," Z recited.

"Honest mistake," Sky smiled, and it sent a shiver down Annie's spine.

"Big mistake," Syd told him, and he glanced to her. "Don't make it again," she warned. His smile dropped, and without another word, he turned and walked out. "What is his problem?" she glanced to the other two, who shrugged.

* * *

The Rangers gathered in the Command Centre for briefing with Kruger about their earlier fight.

"Wootox is responsible for the destruction of more than 50 planets," Kruger explained to them as he brought up images of the alien. "We cannot trust any information we get from him," he said, before realising that Sky had his back to them. Spencer was watching him, a curious look on his face.

"Sorry," Sky turned to join the conversation.

"Permission to judge and confine has been granted," Kruger continued.

"I say we do it right now. He doesn't deserve to hang around. The sooner we put him away, the better," Sky told them.

"Sky, you just put him in a holding cell," Bridge frowned at him. "He's not going anywhere," he pointed out.

"Hmm..." Kruger hummed as he dropped the images of Wootox. "I think I agree with Sky. Wootox is a very dangerous individual," no sooner had Kruger spoken, did the alarms blare.

' _All personnel; prisoner has escaped from Cell Block R-3_ ,' Kat alerted.

"Wootox!" Kruger growled in his realisation. "You know what to do!" the Rangers nodded and ran off.

"I'll take the North Corridor and try to cut him off if he heads that way," Sky called.

"Careful Sky, this guy is dangerous!" Jack called as the rest ran in the opposite direction.

"Man, I'm having seriously bad vibes about this," Spencer commented as they looked around for any sign of the missing prisoner.

"I don't think he went this way guys," Bridge commented as they slowed to a stop.

"Do you think Sky found him?" Z asked, worried.

"Let's hope it's not the other way around," Syd lifted her Morpher. "Sky? Come in Sky, do you copy?" she called, but there was no response.

"This ain't good," Annie rested a hand on her hip. "No Sky, no Wootox," she shook her head.

"No kidding," Jack frowned. "Annie, you think you can do that tracking thing you did before?" he asked her. Annie frowned.

"Not in a place like this," She shook her head. "You'd need a Ninja Master, and I doubt even Sensei could take anything down here," Annie told them.

"I might have a trick up my sleeve," Spencer took a breath. Snapping his fingers, Spencer spoke strange words, and golden light flew through the corridor. "Come on!" he led the way as the light led him along.

"Where's this taking us?" Syd called.

"Wootox!" Spencer replied.

"Why haven't you done this every time we've been looking for someone," Z demanded, and Spencer stopped, forcing the others to do the same.

"First rule of magic I was ever taught. Don't use it to take the easy way out," she shivered at the intensity of his stare. Annie shivered, and Bridge glanced to her, noticing. "I'll explain sometime. Makes for a good campfire story," Spencer was back to normal, and leading them after the light again.

* * *

Running up a level, the Rangers continued to follow the light, until it led them to where Sky was fighting Wootox.

"Freeze!" Wootox looked around, Sky pinned to a wall in his grasp, as Jack levelled his blaster at him. "Put him down, nice and easy," Jack warned as the others joined in, with Spencer's hands lighting up with orbs of energy. Wootox stared at them, speaking in a low, growl of a voice in a language they didn't recognise.

"Put our friend down and step back," Bridge shouted. Wootox growled and threw Sky at them.

"You okay Sky?" Jack asked as they stood in front of him.

"Yeah, thanks," Sky nodded. "Let's take this guy out!" he growled. Wootox cried out, still speaking a different language before groaning. With a yell, he suddenly ran at them, knocking them aside and grabbing Syd. He yelled as she struggled in his grasp, breaking free and kicking him backwards. "Take him out now!" Sky yelled, and Z rushed Wootox. He caught her, and tossed her into the others, before growling and running off.

"You alright?" Jack asked Z as they got up.

"Sky's right. Let's get him," she growled.

"I'll go this way," Sky suddenly took off in the opposite direction.

"Why's he always going the other way?" Jack asked slowly, frowning in confusion.

"We better go after Wootox first, before he does any real damage," Annie shook her head. The Rangers ran off, but stopped when Spencer didn't move, watching the direction Sky had run in. "Spence, we gotta move!" the Thunder Ninja called.

"Right," Spencer turned and they hurried after Wootox, heading outside.

"Where did he go?" Jack wondered as they looked around, seeing no sign of the alien. "Okay, Z, you and Bridge take those corridors. Spencer, you and Annie that way. Syd, you're with me. Any sign of Wootox, call us," Jack ordered. They nodded and took off, searching again for Wootox.

* * *

"How are those upgrades coming Kayden?" Kat asked as she and RIC walked in.

"Slowly," the young man admitted, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Like I said before, you're the tech genius here Kat. I'm just good with engines," he shook his head.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You've improved a lot since you started helping me out," Kat smiled as she took a seat. Kayden flushed. "Though I do wonder why you did start working with me," she commented.

"Just checking other options, if I decide I'm not cut out to be a Ranger," he admitted. Kat smiled softly at him.

"Kayden, I believe you'd make a great Ranger. I also believe you'd be great in here too. It's up to you to decide what you want to do," she told him.

"Urgh, you're as bad as Sensei," he complained, making her smile grow. It faded, and Kayden looked up as RIC started barking.

"RIC? What is it?" Kat frowned. The doors to the lab suddenly slid open, and RIC's barking grew louder as Sky walked in, looking around. "You need something Sky?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Kayden frowned, walking over to RIC as the robotic dog continued barking.

"Easy bud, it's just Sky," he petted his head, but RIC continued to bark.

"Tell me where the cockpit for the Megazord is," he looked up sharply when Sky voiced his demand. RIC finally leapt at him, and Sky blasted him.

"RIC!" Kayden knelt beside the dog, who whimpered as Kat leapt to her feet.

"Sky!" Kat looked up at him, her eyes wide in horror. "What's wrong with you?" she demanded. Sky smirked darkly, approaching the two as Kayden stood slowly.

"Oh man...not again," Kayden gulped. He and Kat backed up as Sky approached them slowly, almost predator like. Sky knocked a clipboard off Kat's desk, making her jump. Kayden stood in front of her, glaring up at the Blue Ranger. With a laugh, Sky darted at them. Kayden blocked, but Sky was more powerful. Kayden was tossed into a wall, and Sky grabbed Kat's arm.

"Now...where is that cockpit?" he hissed, tossing Kat into a table as Kayden slid to the ground, his ribs protesting from the pain. Kat attacked Sky, but he overpowered her and flipped her to the ground. The doors then opened, and Kruger rushed in, having received an alarm Kat had triggered.

"Kat!" he helped her up to her knees, and glanced to RIC and Kayden, before growling at Sky.

"Look who's here," Sky smirked.

"Who are you? You're not Sky!" Kruger growled at him.

"No fooling you," Sky chuckled. "That's why you must be the Commander," Kruger growled as he lifted his Morpher. There was a flash of light, and Sky was Morphed. "Your Ranger and I have switched bodies," he admitted, tapping his helmet.

"Wootox!" Kruger realised with a snarl. "SPD, EMERGENCY! Shadow Ranger!" he Morphed. "Nobody messes with my Rangers," he vowed. He and Wootox began to battle in the lab, and Kat pulled Kayden to safety.

"Really wish I'd stop getting knocked on my butt trying to help people," Kayden groaned. "Maybe I'm too weak to be a Ranger after all," he laughed softly.

"He's more powerful than you, you're not weak. With that Morpher, Sky's more powerful than anyone without that power to take on," Kat told him firmly.

"Maybe," Kayden sighed.

* * *

The Rangers regrouped outside, having found no sign of Wootox.

"He's gotta be inside," Bridge suggested as they breathed heavily. "He's gotta be. They would have reported him if he'd left, which he must not have done, because he didn't," he pointed out.

"What..." Z frowned, confused by his rambling.

"Wootox must not have left, otherwise someone would have reported a sighting. He's hard to miss," Annie translated. Bridge grinned, happy that someone understood, and Spencer rolled his eyes as Syd giggled. Hearing a roar, they looked around. "Uh, or maybe he did," they saw Wootox running towards them.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and blasted Wootox, only for him to bat their attacks aside and leap over their head, making it back inside.

"Why did he _want_ to get back inside?" Spencer wondered, but as they went to follow him, the doors suddenly shut.

"The base is transforming!" Jack realised. "It's turning into the Megazord!" they stumbled back as the base began to change.

"Wootox must have taken over the controls!" Bridge groaned.

"This is bad!" Syd gulped. "We can't stop it!" they were forced to watch as the base changed.

"Wootox only just got back inside, how did he already reach the cockpit?" Spencer asked, glancing to the others.

"I think _stopping_ it is more important!" Jack shouted.

"How? It's the most powerful weapon we have, and we can't even access the Runners to try and hold it back!" Annie pointed out.

"Oh no! The transformation is complete!" Syd cried as the Megazord stood up.

"This is bad! He's armed and dangerous!" Jack gulped.

"The entire city will be destroyed!" Z realised.

"More than that, I don't think he'll be satisfied with just the city," Spencer commented.

"There's gotta be something we can do to stop it!" Bridge yelled.

"Spence!" Annie turned to her best friend, who frowned. "Can't you teleport inside? Stop Wootox?" she asked. Spencer shook his head, taking a step back.

"I can't! I never mastered that spell!" he told her. "It's really dangerous, you need to know exactly what you're doing," he told her.

"Look!" Syd pointed up as the chest lit up to fire a powerful blast, only to fade. "Thank goodness," the Pink Ranger breathed. After a moment, Sky and Wootox were suddenly tossed out. "Sky!" Syd called out in horror.

"Come on guys!" Jack shouted, and they ran to help. When they reached the two, they found Sky demorphed and backing away from Wootox, clearly injured. Before Wootox could finish him off, they blasted him. "Hold it right there!" Jack shouted. Wootox roared, still talking in another language.

"Good thing you found me. Let's take care of him," Sky told them.

"Right," Jack levelled his blaster at Wootox, who backed away slowly, crying out in horror. Suddenly Kruger leapt down with RIC, grabbing Jack's hand and forcing him to lower his weapon.

"No, wait, don't do it," he told the Red Ranger.

"Commander?" Annie tilted her head.

"Let's end it!" Sky yelled.

"No!" Kruger shouted. "We're not sure who is who," the Rangers started in surprise at their Commander's words. "They changed bodies," he explained.

"What?" Jack glanced to Sky.

"We changed bodies, but we changed back. I'm Sky!" he shouted. Wootox cried out, shaking his head.

"What?"

"So what do we do?" Bridge asked.

"Sky?"

"Don't let him fool you again! Let's take care of him now!" Sky shouted.

"Well he does have that bossy attitude Sky has," Annie commented, resting a hand on her hip.

"Commander, I've got an idea!" Jack turned to their Commander. "RIC! Ball!" the dog barked, and a ball burst from his back. Jack caught it in his hand. "Go fetch!" he tossed the ball, and RIC ran to get it. He brought it back and stood in front of Sky, before whimpering and running over to the alien, dropping it.

"Whoa, the Commander was right," Spencer's eyes widened. Jack and Kruger grabbed Wootox before he could escape, restraining him. Sky rushed at him, and slammed his head to Wootox's. There was a flash of light, and both were knocked back.

"Sky? Are you okay?" Jack asked as the Blue Ranger shook his head. He nodded, smiling slightly at his leader.

"Welcome back Cadet," Kruger clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Thank you sir. Thanks RIC," Sky nodded to the dog, who barked.

"Let's go Rangers!" Kruger called as Wootox got to his feet, growling angrily. Sky grabbed his Morpher.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" he Morphed, and the Rangers fought Wootox, easily fighting him off, before calling on the Canine Cannon. Wootox growled, backing away.

"Target locked!"

"Fire!" they blasted Wootox, containing him.

"Good job everybody! Sure feels good to be back in Blue!" Sky nodded.

* * *

"Would someone _please_ tell me what's going on?" Jack groaned as they walked through the park.

"Yeah, why'd we come all the way out to Blue Bay Harbour?" Syd asked.

"I told you, it's a surprise," Annie laughed at their impatience. "We're almost there, come on," she charged ahead, and RIC followed with a bark. He then shot ahead, making her laugh. Spencer grinned and jogged after her with Kayden, and the other Rangers exchanged glances before following, with Kruger continuing at his own pace.

"Hey RIC!" they found the robotic dog barking at Cam, who was kneeling to scratch behind his ear.

"Cam?" Bridge blinked, and the Samurai straightening up.

"Good you guys could finally make it. You're later than Ari, and that's saying something," he grinned. Spencer rolled his eyes, adjusting his glasses.

"Took a while to get these guys moving," he gestured to the other Rangers. Cam laughed.

"Come on, everyone else is here," he led the way past the trees, and the SPD Rangers found a crowd of people hanging out.

"What is this all about?" Sky asked curiously as RIC ran in circles around Cam and Melody, before bounding over to Ethan.

"Spence!" the Gold Ranger was knocked off his feet and into the grass with a groan.

"Hey guys!" Ari waved from where she stood.

"It's a Ranger picnic," Annie laughed. "Our families and friends," she explained, and their eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Well, almost all of them," the girl hugging Spencer spoke, her accent a thick New Zealand one.

"Rose and Tyler couldn't make it?" Spencer looked down, still struggling to free himself from the grip of the smaller girl hugging him. "Teddie, seriously, get off," he couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah Ted, you could at least say hi to the rest of us," Annie grinned. The girl looked up and grinned, and the other Rangers recognised the mischievous smile as one that Spencer frequently had himself.

"Hey Annie," Teddie got up and hugged the Silver Ranger.

"Teddie, this is Jack, Sky, Bridge, Syd and Z, our team," Annie introduced the young girl, whose dark eyes were a contrast to Spencer's. "Guys, this is Teddie, Spence's little sister. Chase should be about somewhere too," Annie commented as Spencer got up, brushing himself off.

"You're so cute," Syd commented. Teddie blushed, laughing weakly.

"Well Spencer didn't get it," she grinned. Spencer rolled his eyes. "Chase is at the skate park over there, trying to impress Arianna and failing miserably," she told him.

"Of course he is," Spencer shook his head in exasperation. His brother was definitely a lady's man, but often struck out. And Tyzonn's daughter was just as innocent as the Mercury Ranger was.

"I'm gonna go find Ryan and JJ, they're trying to see who'd win in a fight, Pai Zhuq or Dino," Teddie laughed, jogging off.

"Well guys? You coming to say hi to everyone or what?" Ari called over.

"Yeah, you're just in time to see me kick her butt," the tall blond man with a smirk that matched Annie's called over.

"Hunter, you've never beaten her, and if you did, you know exactly what would happen," Blake grinned as Kayden went over and hugged his parents.

"Zoe would kick your butt dude, and we've seen her do that already!" Dustin laughed.

"I think we've all seen it at this point," Kira grinned, handing Teddie her guitar as the girl went back over to her. Syd inhaled sharply at her.

"Of course she would! I can't exactly fight back against my wife!" Hunter complained.

"You'd lose even if you did," Zoe, who was beside Ari, winked at him, her attitude also reminding the SPD Rangers of Annie.

"Don't mind them, they're all show offs," they glanced around at Casey as he approached. "Hey, I'm Casey," the Red Jungle Fury Ranger greeted, and they saw a tattoo on his arm that several others around the group had, including Ari and Minos, who was talking to RJ and Jenna.

"This is gonna be interesting," Z laughed as RIC ran back over to Sky, who took the ball from him and began to play fetch with him. They began to talk to the other Rangers, who were interested in finding out about the newest team of heroes.

"Hey Sky, how long are you going to play fetch with RIC?" Bridge asked.

"Until he gets tired," Sky told him as he tossed the ball again. "I promised I would after he saved me. If it wasn't for RIC, I'd be imprisoned and Wootox would be running around in my body," he pointed out. Bridge frowned.

"But..." he stopped when Annie caught his arm and shook her head.

"Let's see how long it takes him," she grinned, and they stepped away, leaving Sky to it.

"Hey Ari," Kira called Ari over. "You find that kid familiar?" she asked quietly.

"Who?" Ari asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The one that my daughter keeps looking at when she thinks nobody is looking?" Zoe joined them. "The green one," she was watching with a raised eyebrow, her arms folded as they watched the team relax.

"You guys find him familiar too, don't you?" Adam approached with Xander.

"Yeah," the three women nodded.

"You know..." Ari pulled a newspaper clipping from her pocket. It was old, but in good condition. "Check it out," they looked at the picture, and their eyes widened.

"That's an SPD Ranger," Zoe breathed. "Fighting with us back when we helped the Overdrive Rangers beat Thrax?" she looked up.

"But that means...the Red Ranger travelled back in time," Kira realised.

"Then how come we don't remember?" Xander asked.

"And why is it that we find their Green Ranger familiar?" Ari shrugged.

"My guess...the kid becomes the Red Ranger in the future," Adam frowned, looking at Bridge again as he grinned at Annie, both making bets on who would win between Spencer and Minos.

"Then it hasn't happened for him yet," Ari realised. "Best uh..." she slipped the clipping back into her pocket. "Keep this to ourselves, huh? I'm guessing our memories were wiped for a reason," she grinned.

"Maybe Hunter kills him for going near his baby girl," Zoe tapped a finger to her chin.

"Let's hope not," Ari laughed. "Now, speaking of your husband, I gotta go beat him up," she walked off. Adam sighed, shaking his head as he wondered just how exactly he led their misfit team.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	15. Samurai

**So I think it's safe to say my writer's block is over, I've only five chapters left to write, then onto Dino Charge. I'm so excited!  
**

 **Hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Chapter 15: Samurai

Bridge had his eyes closed, his fingers pressed to his temple as he focused hard. Z sat opposite him, looking sceptical. Sky and Annie stood beside them, waiting, as the others relaxed nearby.

"Hold the thought...okay...it's becoming clearer," Bridge murmured. "Okay, I got it!" he suddenly pulled back, making her jolt. Spencer glanced up from his book. "You're thinking that I lost it, right?" he guessed.

"You're right," Z nodded.

"I was thinking that too," Sky crouched beside them.

"Me three," Syd lowered the magazine she had been reading, which had her face on the front cover.

"Me four," Spencer grinned.

"Go ahead and mock me guys. Thoughts are energy. Energy travels," Bridge told them, not bothered by their teasing. "Thoughts are my weapon of the future," he declared.

"Okay, 'Thought-Man'," Sky smirked as he sat down beside Syd. She glanced up, and returned to her magazine quickly. Spencer, noticing, rolled his eyes. "Do Jack," the Blue Ranger challenged. Bridge turned to Jack, who had his back to them, not paying attention to the group. Bridge put his fingers to his temple again.

"It's not fair. If Kruger let me use the Shadow Sabre, I could beat him. He knows that too. That's why he won't let me use it," Bridge voiced.

"Jack," Sky was looking amused. "Jack!" he spoke louder when the Red Ranger didn't answer.

"What?" he turned around.

"What were you just thinking about?" Z asked him.

"Oh..." Jack turned to them fully. "I was thinking about how it's not fair!" Annie and Bridge exchanged looks. Bridge looked victorious as she looked impressed. "I know if Kruger let me use his sword, that I could beat him. He knows that too. That's why he won't let me use it," Jack told them, unaware of the others looking at Bridge.

"Weapon of the future," Bridge grinned.

"Dude, you're not serious, right?" Jack turned to Spencer as he set his book down. "You realise it isn't the sword that makes you stronger, it's you who makes the sword stronger," the Ninja told him.

"Easy for you to say, you have a bunch of powers, magic, _and_ Ninja powers," Jack rolled his eyes.

"And not one of them make me a better swordsman," Spencer stated. Jack frowned, but before he could argue further, the alarm blared.

' _Rangers, report to the Command Centre immediately_ ,' they got up and hurried out to Control Room.

* * *

The Rangers hurried into the Command Centre to find Kruger and Kat standing in front of the computer.

"There's been an abnormal temporal reading in Kyoto," Kruger told them without looking around. Kayden walked over, handing Kat a tablet and grinning to the Rangers. Seeing the bruise across his cheekbone, Sky's gaze turned guilty, but Kayden just patted his arm and walked on. "Someone has opened a time portal," Kruger announced. "My guess, it's Grumm," he spoke slowly.

"I've got a visual," Kat brought up the footage of an alien pulled through the Wormhole.

" _Where am I_?" he looked around, confused. " _This forest...familiar, yet different_ ," the alien murmured.

"He's a Samurai!" both Spencer and Annie realised. Kruger growled, turning away.

"Grumm has pulled a warrior from the past. I want you to go to Kyoto. If he is a Samurai, his swordsmanship cannot be underestimated," he warned.

"Sir, there is no better time," Jack stepped forwards. "Let me use the Shadow Sabre," he requested.

"It is not your weapon," Kruger replied firmly. Jack deflated. "You have all you need to defeat him. Go," he ordered.

* * *

The ship dropped the Rangers off, and took off, leaving them in the clearing that the Samurai had first arrived in.

"The warrior could be anywhere," Syd frowned.

"I say we use 'the Weapon'," Sky smirked, glancing to Bridge.

"Me?" he asked, looking excited. "For real?" they nodded.

"Sure thing, 'Thought-Man'," Annie laughed. "You got this," she told him confidently. Bridge grinned, and stepped forwards, crouching as he pulled off a glove and touched his fingers to his temple.

"This is strong energy...I'm getting a vocal reading," his head turned very slightly as his eyes closed. "Where am I? This...this forest...familiar, yet different," Bridge opened his eyes again as he lost it.

"That was amazing..." Jack commented. "Come on guys, we've got a Samurai to catch," he called, leading them away.

* * *

"Good, Kyoto is safe," Katana nodded proudly to himself as the people in their cars ran off in fear.

"Hey!" he turned around quickly to see the seven.

"What?" he frowned. "Your stance indicates aggression. Are you warriors of some invading tribe?" he asked curiously. "Trying to take over Kyoto?"

"We're SPD."

"Do yourself a favour and surrender quietly," Sky ordered.

"I do not surrender my sword to anyone, but my Emperor!" he drew his sword and raised it. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, hitting his sword. "I am Katana! Protector of Kyoto!" he threw the power at the Rangers, blasting them off his feet. They groaned, pushing themselves back up as he pointed his sword at them. "Leave here, or face the consequences," Katana warned.

"Can't do that, not when you're threatening people," Spencer shook his head. With a growl, Katana ran at them, lashing out with his sword. He was much more skilled than them, tossing them into a heap together. He then floored Jack, knocking his blaster from his hands.

"You're defenceless...I have the advantage," Katana commented as he stared down at Jack. Instead of striking him down, he reached down and lifted the blaster at his feet. "Your weapon...very strange..." he then handed it over to Jack. "I will not fight an unarmed opponent," he told the Red Ranger, who grabbed it back.

"Thanks..." Jack frowned at him.

"Honour...he really is a Samurai," Spencer breathed.

"Now we continue!" Katana stepped back, and Jack got back to his feet.

"No, stop!" they looked around in surprise at the voice that echoed from the trees.

"Miko?" Spencer recognised the young girl, who ran over and stood between them and Katana. She wore black and white robes like her father did, and a wooden sword rested by her side. "What are you doing? Get away from him, he's dangerous!" he shouted.

"No! You don't understand!" the short haired girl insisted.

"You...you are familiar..." Katana commented, his head tilted as Miko turned to him. She gave a faint smile, but before she could say anything, Krybots suddenly appeared, surrounding the area.

"Okay...the Emperor he's defending...definitely Grumm," Jack determined as Spencer grabbed Miko and pulled her behind him. The Krybots suddenly attacked, and Katana walked off, leaving them to fight.

"You know, I can protect myself," Miko complained as Spencer tossed several energy-balls at the Krybots, raising a shield when they got too close.

"Yeah well, Cam would kill me if I let you get hurt," Spencer told her.

"Would help if you watched your back better," he glanced around to see Miko take out a Krybot with her sabre. She winked at him and he sighed. Before long, the Krybots were defeated.

"Good going guys," Jack nodded as they regrouped.

"Yeah, but Katana slipped away during the fight," Bridge pointed out.

"He won't get far...we'll find him," Sky nodded.

"And before we do that, how about you explain what that was all about Miko?" Annie asked the girl, who shifted.

"Katana isn't bad," she told them.

"He isn't bad? You did see the Krybots that just helped him out, right?" Z raised an eyebrow at her.

"Easy Z," Spencer frowned at her, seeing Miko's expression. Z frowned back, surprised he was taking the girl's side. "Miko, what do you mean Katana isn't bad?" he asked her gently.

"Didn't you see? He gave Jack his blaster back," she frowned at them.

"She's right..." Jack nodded slowly, having been thinking about it himself.

"It's an honour thing. Samurai, Ninjas, Mystics, Pai Zhuq, they all fight by the same code in a way," Spencer nodded. "But that doesn't necessarily mean he's good Miko," she frowned at him.

"Bridge, try finding him again, we need to stop him before he hurts someone," Annie turned to the empath, who nodded. He crouched, pulling his glove off.

"What are you even doing here?" Spencer asked the girl.

"Training. I saw Katana and followed him, I-"

"You followed him?" Spencer demanded, catching her arm. "Are you crazy? He could have hurt you," he pointed out to the tech genius. Her jaw clenched in a stubborn expression.

"You don't understand!" she shook her head, pulling out of his grip and running off.

"Miko!" Spencer called after her, but she didn't stop.

"Leave her Spence, we need to focus on finding this guy," Annie told her friend, who sighed and fixed his glasses. He nodded, knowing she was right. Miko could look after herself, and keeping her with them would only invite trouble.

"Keep looking Bridge," Sky encouraged. Bridge didn't speak, focusing as he waved his hand through the air.

"Okay, I've got him, but his temporal energy is fading fast. The longer he stays in this time, the less likely I'll be able to track him," Bridge explained to them.

"Okay, then let's move quickly," Jack decided, before the ground suddenly shook as something massive landed.

"Look!" Syd pointed to a robot in the city. It approached a building, and what looked like a drawer on it opened. The building in front of it suddenly disappeared, and a light flew into the drawer before it shut over.

"Guys look, it's taking the buildings!" Jack realised as it did the same to another building.

"What the hell?" Annie stared at the sight.

"Is Katana in that giant robot?" Jack asked Bridge.

"No! His energy signature came from the other direction," the Green Ranger told him.

"Commander Kruger," Sky contacted the base. "The Samurai is using a giant robot to steal Kyoto shrines," he explained.

" _Rangers, hold tight, we'll be there soon_ ," Kruger told them.

* * *

Katana approached a shrine, his sword drawn as he looked around.

"Hey!" he looked around quickly to see the Rangers leap through the air.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and landed in front of him.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Six! SPD Gold!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

Katana growled as the Rangers leapt through the air and blocked his path. Katana took a breath as he faced them.

"Congratulations, you have picked my ancestor's grounds to be defeated on!" he told them.

"Uh oh..."

"Great..."

"But isn't this-"

"Prepare for battle!" Katana declared, running at them again. The Rangers attempted to fight him off, but Katana was skilled, slashing across their suits and throwing them back repeatedly "I call upon the ancestors to strike you down! Sword of Kyoto!" he struck them again, and the Rangers cried out. "Let that be a lesson! Farewell," he turned to run off.

' _Rangers! We have just arrived in Kyoto, and are preparing to launch the Runners_ ,' Kruger told them. The Rangers got back to their feet, and leapt into their Zords. They headed towards the robot, who was still collecting shrines

"I'll aim for the drawers!" Sky fired multiple blasts, but was blocked. "I can't hit them!" he told the others.

"Let me try!" Jack grabbed the sword and went to try, only to be blasted. "Whoa, I'm hit!" he cried, spinning out.

' _Rangers, come back to base_!' Kruger ordered. ' _We'll have to join powers to defeat Mirato_ ,' he instructed.

"Yes sir!" the Rangers returned to the base, docking their Zords before the base transformed into the Megazord.

"Rangers in position!" the Rangers took their places in the cockpit with Kruger. "Morphers, locked! Activate!" the Megazord flashed to life. They immediately restrained the robot using tape, holding it in place.

' _Sir, scans show that the robot is being piloted by a Blue-Head, and there is no other control_ ,' Kat reported.

"Just a Blue-Head?" Bridge frowned.

"Something's not right!" Jack grabbed his Morpher.

"Jack!" he stopped as Kruger called him. "I've watched into Grumm's traps before. You must find Katana, and quickly. He may be the only hope to find Grumm's ulterior motive," he told the Red Ranger.

"Sir. Katana is a master Swordsman. He easily defeated all seven of us. I'll bring you the Samurai if you let me use the Shadow Sabre," Jack told him.

"All that is in your head Jack. You do not need my sword to defeat Katana," Kruger shook his head, sighing heavily. Jack still refused to listen to him.

"Sir...we can argue this point until there's no time left. I'll bring him in...just let me have your sword," Jack pleaded. Spencer rolled his eyes. Kruger didn't speak, but after a moment, handed over the sabre.

"Take it," Jack took the sword and studied it.

"Thank you Sir. I won't let you down," Jack told him confidently.

As Jack headed off, the robot broke free of its bindings, and blasted the Megazord with lasers. The Megazord swayed and the Rangers cried out as they struggled to remain standing.

' _Commander, the scanners have revealed the target. Destroy the glowing blue orb on each side and you won't harm the buildings,_ ' Kat told him.

"Got it," Kruger nodded. Seeing the orbs, they aimed the Finger Lasers and blasted the orbs. The lights flew from the robot, returning the shrines to where they were supposed to be.

"They're unharmed," Syd smiled with relief.

"Full power!"

"Ready, fire!" the Rangers fired their attack, destroying the robot.

* * *

Katana stumbled back, realising the truth as Jack defeated him.

"So it's true...I have been deceived..." he realised.

"Sorry to do this, but I have to be sure," Jack held up his Morpher. "Judgement mode!" he scanned Katana, who waited patiently. The light flashed green. "Not guilty. I knew it," he nodded.

"Don't hurt him!" they looked around to see Miko run towards them, standing between the two.

"You again," Katana watched her curiously.

"You can't hurt Katana, he's good!" Miko insisted. Jack couldn't help but laugh.

"I know," his words made the young Samurai deflate.

"You...know?" she frowned.

"Yeah," Jack nodded.

"You're an honourable warrior," Katana nodded to him.

"And so are you," Jack demorphed. "My question is, how'd you know?" he asked Miko. She went red, shuffling her feet.

"You are a Samurai too," Katana realised, and Miko turned to him. She smiled at him. "Your smile...now I know why you are familiar! You are just like my Master's daughter," he realised. Miko nodded.

"My family have descended from Samurai for many generations. My grandfather told me of a story my grandmother told him, of the wise and powerful being Katana, who served with my family," she told him.

"Wait, so this guy..."

"His master was my many-great Grandfather," Miko confirmed for Jack.

"Small world," he commented in a quiet voice, before his Morpher beeped.

' _Jack, there's an energy build-up in your sector. The time portal is about to open up_ ,' Kat told him.

"Thanks Kat," he ended the communication, and Miko stepped away from Katana.

"Amazing..." Katana breathed, before a wormhole appeared behind him.

"Well, there's your way home if you want," Jack told him. "Or you could stay here and continue to protect Kyoto," he suggested.

"No. Kyoto is safe in this time, with you and your tribe," Katana shook his head. "I need to go back to where I belong. Farewell," he saluted to both, before stepping through.

"Well, come on Miko," Jack grinned to the Samurai, who smiled and nodded, following him away as both were oblivious to the sparkling light that flew out of the portal and into the air.

* * *

"A well fought victory," Kruger told his team. "But in our victory we have suffered a loss. By bringing the Delta Base to Japan, I left New Tech City defenceless. Grumm took advantage and raided the Iridium plant," Kruger told them gravely.

"Iridium?" Bridge frowned.

"It's a stabilising agent, isn't it?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, don't you add it to other metals to make them harder?" Bridge nodded.

"Nerds," Annie muttered, making Z, Jack, Syd and Sky laugh quietly.

"Yes," Kruger ignored them. "He is up to something. It is our job to find out what that something is, before it's too late. Dismissed," he ordered.

* * *

"I can't believe that that Katana guy trained with Miko's ancestor," Annie commented as the Rangers sat down in the rec room, minus Jack, who was training with Kruger.

"I can't believe Jack beat one of the greatest Samurai in history," Z added. Spencer laughed.

"Wonder when he'll realise that it wasn't really the Shadow Sabre that he fought with," the others looked around in surprise.

"How'd you know that?" Sky asked, taking a seat beside Syd on the sofa as she lifted her magazine.

"The Commander asked me to create an illusion spell over a normal sword. He figured Jack would ask again for the Sabre and thought it was the best way to teach him that lesson he's refused to learn," Spencer laughed, stretching.

"That's kinda harsh, isn't it?" Z frowned at him. "What if he'd lost?" she asked.

"Z, like I told Jack. It's not the sword, but the wielder that matters," Spencer told her. "And look, he won, didn't he? It's all about confidence – not overconfidence, but proper confidence," Z's frown grew at her worry over her best friend and Spencer's lack of guilt over misleading him. Annie glanced to Bridge, who couldn't help but grin back at her. Things really couldn't be simple for them.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	16. Dismissed

Chapter 16: Dismissed

" _The Battle of Sirius," Kruger growled as he walked along the roof of the SPD base. "You took_ everything _from me!" he let out a furious roar and Morphed into the Shadow Ranger. "But not this time! I am_ waiting _Grumm_! _"he challenged._

 _Far out in space, a massive ship drifted. Inside, the tall, skeletal creature with one horn longer than the other seemed to be watching Kruger's declaration._

" _Yes..." he spoke in his low voice, putting a hand to the shorter horn on his head. "The time is right. I accept your invitation, Doggie Kruger!" he yelled much louder, his eyes flashing red._

* * *

The Rangers stood to attention, the rest of the SPD base standing just as rigidly as they were, as they waited for a ship to arrive.

"Quit fidgeting," Z hissed to Annie.

"Can't help it," the Silver Ranger tugged at her skirt. She stopped, straightening up as a ship flew into view, landing in front of them. The doors slid open, and a tall figure with a bird-like appearance stepped out.

"Welcome to SPD Earth Station, Supreme Commander Birdie, sir," Kruger greeted, falling into step behind the Supreme Commander as he continued walking.

"Hello Kruger," Birdie greeted, a hint of disdain in his voice as he glanced to the people who had gathered. Kat stood beside the Rangers, who stood to attention in their formal uniforms, meant only for events such as now. Birdie stared at them, scrutinising each one of them. His eyes rested on Spencer for a moment longer, before he continued on.

"Commander, where _is_ this SPD squad you've bragged so much about?" Birdie turned to the Commander.

"These are my SPD Power Rangers, sir," Kruger told him. The Rangers kept their stances, trying to keep their gaze ahead.

"Really?" Birdie asked, an eyebrow arched. "These are the Power Rangers. Well, I expected different," he commented. "How proud you must be, Commander," there was mocking in his voice, and Annie struggled to keep her face impassive. "Shall we continue this in the Command Centre?" Birdie turned and continued walking, with Kat and Kruger followed.

* * *

The Rangers slumped down in the rec room, already exhausted after Birdie's arrival.

"Not what he expected?" Syd frowned, a little hurt by the comment.

"Overstuffed turkey," Annie muttered. Bridge nudged her, shaking his head in warning. She huffed again, walking over to the machines to grab something to eat.

"Careful Annie, he's the Supreme Commander," Spencer glanced over, having heard her mutter too. "He can go over the Commander's head with this, Ranger or not," he warned her.

"It's only for today, he'll be gone soon," Bridge nodded.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Annie muttered.

"You and me both," Z nodded, before glancing to Spencer as he yawned widely, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Not get enough sleep?" she asked him. It took a moment for Spencer to realise she was talking to him, and he opened his eyes to find them all watching him.

"Just...weird dreams," he shrugged, closing his eyes again.

"Weird dreams?" Jack asked curiously.

"Think I'm just working too hard," he shook his head, his mind on his dream of Kruger and Grumm. Something was up with him. Not only had he dreamt of them, but he'd dreamt of Zurgane attacking them, and when he'd been catching his breath, he'd caught a glimpse of Z fighting Bugglesworth. It was odd, and he had no idea what to do.

"We could have told you that," Z smirked.

"Yeah, you work almost as much as Sky," Syd grinned. Sky frowned at her as the others nodded in agreement. The alarm suddenly blared loudly.

' _Rangers, to your stations. A robot is attacking the city_ ,' Kat announced. The Rangers got up quickly, standing together.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and headed out in the Runners, speeding through the city. "Delta Squad Megazord!" they called, forming their Megazord. They met the robot with their sword, pushing him back.

"I'll crush you!" the pilot inside vowed, and both stuck the others across the chest. "You're mine!" the robot attacked again, but the Rangers stuck down with a power slash, and grabbed their blaster.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Fire!" the Rangers blasted the robot, destroying it.

"Nice work guys, we got him!" Jack grinned proudly.

* * *

Stragglers ran down to join the group waiting for Birdie to depart.

"Birdie's brief stay was a little too long for me," Kat admitted to the Rangers.

"I heard that," Jack agreed. "Makes eight of us," the other Rangers nodded as Spencer pushed his glasses up, still looking tired.

"Nine," Boom whispered.

"Ten," Kayden cleared his throat.

"Attention!" Sky shouted as he spotted Birdie and Kruger approach. Everyone stood to attention as the Commanders approached. Jack then stood forwards.

"Commander Birdie. Speaking for the entire SPD Earth Station, we hope you have enjoyed your visit _sir_!" the Red Ranger spoke loudly.

"Thank you Sky."

"It's Jack. Sir," Jack replied. Annie closed her eyes, trying not to laugh.

"And now Commander Kruger has an announcement," Birdie didn't seem to hear him.

"To all personnel," Kruger started, looking around. "And to my Rangers. I want to thank you for your loyalty. It's been my privilege to lead the SPD forces and my honour to have served with you all. As of today...I am relieved of duty," his announcement took everyone by surprise, and none of them could hold their formal stances, glancing to each other. "You are now under the leadership of Supreme Commander Birdie," Kruger sighed quietly, looking away as Birdie looked smug.

* * *

"Why would Birdie relieve Kruger of his command?" Z demanded as the Rangers walked up the stairs. "I hope it wasn't because of us," she looked worried.

"No way," Bridge shook his head. "Earth is the last place Grumm hasn't conquered yet, and that's because of us and Doggie Kruger," he reminded them.

"Maybe Birdie thinks we should be attacking Grumm, not waiting for him," Sky suggested.

"What are you saying? You think Kruger was doing a bad job?" Jack challenged Sky, offended. "If you remember correctly, he already lost a Squad of Power Rangers!" he pointed out.

"Chill out Jack, Sky wasn't saying that," Syd defended with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, we all know why we can't go on an offensive strike against Grumm," Spencer folded his arms. "And if there's one person who knows Grumm, it's Kruger. It's too risky, and we're the last line of defence, we can't go on a suicide mission against him," the Gold Ranger pointed out.

"He was relieved of duty because he was trying to protect you," Kat told them as she approached.

"What do you mean?" Syd frowned.

"Commander Birdie ordered for your unit to be split up," their eyes widened. "Kruger refused," she explained.

"Well, then I'll refuse. We'll all refuse," Z told her stubbornly.

"We can't do that Z," Sky spoke up helplessly. "Birdie is now our Commanding Officer, and we obey orders. Even if we don't agree with them. Like Spencer said, we're needed here," he pointed out.

"Sky's right. You are Power Rangers, SPD. You follow the Chain of Command," Kat told them, an apologetic look on her face. The Rangers sighed, turning and walking off.

"This really isn't good," Kayden commented as he walked up beside her, watching the Rangers. "They're not only missing their Commander, they're down a Ranger. And Grumm's attacks are only getting more powerful," he said to the Doctor as they started walking.

"You could always join them," Kat suggested. Kayden gave a small laugh.

"No. I'm not-"

"Kayden, you need to believe in yourself more. You'd make a great Ranger, everyone knows it. You have the heart for it," Kat told him, but the Water Ninja shook his head.

"And the last three times I've tried to help, I've gotten my butt kicked. I'm not like the Rangers. I'm not good enough," he insisted, walking faster. Kat rolled her eyes.

"As stubborn as Kruger, that one," she muttered, following him.

* * *

Walking into the Command Centre, Kat and Kayden started to work wordlessly, both feeling the absence of the Commander.

"Ah, Doctor Manx," they looked up to see Birdie in Kruger's chair. "I was just about to call for you. I want to install another monitor," he said as he got up, walking towards the pair but not giving Kayden the slightest attention. "And make a note to add silent alerts to the Rangers' uniforms. And let's start thinking about replacing these Rangers," Kayden and Kat glanced to each other, trying not to say a word. The alarm then blared loudly. "Report!"

"It's an energy alert, sir. It indicates any unusual surges," Kat explained.

"This reading..." Kayden frowned. "It's off the charts, they can't even register it properly. I've never seen anything like this," he commented.

"Me neither," Kat stood beside him.

"Well, call the Rangers!" Birdie snapped, and as Kat went to do so, he growled and pushed her out of the way, pressing the button. "Rangers, report to the Command Centre," Kat took a deep breath, and Kayden shook his head. The Rangers ran in, standing to attention.

"Rangers reporting, sir!" Jack called.

"We've had a report of an unusual energy surge. Red, Blue, Green and Gold Rangers, I want you to investigate," Birdie ordered.

"Yes sir!" Sky called.

"Just them?" Z frowned, and Birdie whirled around to glare at her.

"Is there a problem, Ranger?" he challenged.

"No sir!" Z regained composure.

* * *

"Let's do it!" Jack called as he revved the engine on his bike. The four Rangers shot out of the base, and towards the co-ordinates given. Slowing to a stop as they reached it, they found it was silent. "Let's check it out," Jack glanced around.

"I don't see anything," Bridge commented. Spencer shivered.

"Bad vibes guys, keep on the lookout," he warned them.

"Something's there! Look!" Sky spotted a figure in the smoke. After a moment, they spotted Grumm riding into view on a bike of his own. He laughed low, making them shiver.

"No way! It's Grumm!" Jack gulped.

"This is what we've trained for guys," Sky called, and they nodded, starting their engines again and racing towards Grumm. He blasted at them with his lasers, almost knocking them off their bikes, and when they blasted him, he flew into the air, over them. When they landed, he turned abruptly and stopped, grabbing his staff. He fired a blast that nearly knocked the Rangers over, and when they were forced to stop, he blasted Bridge off his bike.

"Bridge!" Spencer raced towards the fallen Ranger, and as Grumm laughed, Sky blasted him, racing towards him. However, he was knocked off his bike as well, and Jack and Spencer faced off against the Emperor. As Jack blasted him with his Delta Blasters, Spencer threw an energy-ball. However, Grumm deflected their attacks easily, and threw them off their bikes.

" _You_ are the mighty Power Rangers?" Grumm stopped beside Jack as the four struggled to get up. "Give Anubis a message. Tell him I am waiting for him!" Grumm laughed, and sped off as Jack pushed himself up, only to fall to his knees.

"That was brutal," Jack groaned.

"You're telling me," Spencer muttered, a hand around his stomach.

* * *

"That energy surge...it was Grumm," Jack reported as the four beaten Rangers stood in front of Birdie. Kat and Kayden's eyes widened, and Birdie stood abruptly.

"He's here?" Birdie breathed. "And you let him defeat you?" he demanded.

"Sir, that may not be a fair-"

"Anything further to report?" when Sky, Jack and Spencer glared defiantly at the man who had just insulted them, Bridge's eyes widened.

"Yeah, uh-"

"No _Sir_ ," Sky's voice was hard. Kat frowned, watching them suspiciously. "We were lucky to get away when we did," he spoke as Bridge tried not to look surprised.

"Dismissed," Birdie turned in disgust.

"Welcome to the new SPD guys," Jack muttered as the four left.

"Grumm did say something, didn't he?" Kat accused as she caught up to the four. They turned around, and sighed.

"It was a message for Kruger," Jack explained.

"It was a personal message. He wants to meet Kruger on the battlefield," Sky explained.

"We were hardly going to tell Commander Turkey in there," Spencer muttered.

"You sound like Annie," Bridge commented, and Spencer shrugged. Kat took a breath.

"You didn't hear this from me. But I think Commander Kruger would like to know about this," Kat told them. "Only one of you should go. If all of you are gone, it could arouse suspicion," they nodded.

"I'll go," Jack decided.

* * *

After being given a mission, Syd, Z and Annie pulled up in the sector where a wanted criminal had been spotted.

"Anyone else notice him keeping us and the guys split up?" Annie asked as she dismounted from her bike.

"Yep," Syd rolled her eyes.

"It was Sector C, right?" Z asked as they looked around to find nobody there.

"Ah! I am Changtor!" a silver alien with a large hat landed in front of them. "Welcome to my beach party, where you're the guests of honour!" he declared. "The first and last game is called 'Bring-in the Rangers and collect a big reward from Broodwing'!" he announced.

"Love that game. What about you guys?" Z smirked to the other two.

"Me too!" Syd nodded.

"It's my favourite," Annie cracked her knuckles.

"I'm just disappointed that you didn't tell us there was a dress code," Syd smiled at the monster. "Just a sec, kay?" the three grabbed their Morphers.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and leapt through the air.

"Nice outfits," Changtor commented.

"Thanks!" they began to fight the alien, throwing punches and kicks as they easily fought him off working together.

* * *

"Oh, that looked sore," Kayden winced sympathetically as he watched Birdie getting tossed about by Grumm. Kat hummed in agreement, working on something else as they split their attention between the two fights.

"It's going badly, isn't it?" their heads lifted and neither could hide their smiles at Kruger's voice.

"Syd, Z and Annie are holding their own, but Commander Birdie is in trouble," Kat sounded exasperated.

"He's fighting Grumm alone, sir," Kayden explained.

"Ah, he's a fool!" Kruger growled in irritation. Kat didn't speak but the agreement in her expression was obvious. "He's no match for Grumm," he shook his head.

"No, he isn't," Kat agreed, and turned to him. "Sir, I have something for you. Something that Kayden and I have been working on for a while," Kayden grinned with excitement as she mentioned their secret project. "Will you come with us?" she asked.

"I know what you're trying to do Kat," Kruger rolled his eyes.

"Good. All the more reason for you to come with me sir," she told him firmly. Kayden chuckled as the two walked out, and with a growl of irritation, Kruger followed.

* * *

Changtor cried out as he was easily outmatched by the three Rangers, who tossed him through the air with multiple kicks and punches. He pushed himself back up and ran at them again, only for Annie to intercept and kick him in the stomach. Syd then ran past, striking him with her sword, and Z did the same.

"We did it!" the three high-fived.

"Look what I can do!" he suddenly grew much taller, moving off into the city.

"Hey guys!" Z called as she grabbed her Morpher. "We want the team back!" she told them. Before long, the Runners were heading into town, and the Rangers formed their Megazord.

"Let's do this!" Changtor goaded.

"You look a little washed out!" Z called, and they blasted him with water. He cried out, slamming to the ground.

"What time is it? Oh yeah, judgement time!" Annie laughed, flipping open her Morpher. The light flashed red.

"Guilty!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Fire!" they blasted the monster, confining him.

* * *

The Rangers hurried to where Birdie had been fighting Grumm, finding Kruger taking on the Emperor on the ATV that Kat and Kayden had designed him.

"You okay, Commander?" Jack asked as they helped the fallen Commander up.

"He disobeyed my orders!" Birdie snapped furiously.

"If he hadn't, Grumm would have killed you, _sir_ ," Spencer told him, earning a glare. Birdie growled, turning to watch the fight, knowing that he was right. Kruger easily outmatched Grumm, eventually kicking him off his bike and destroying it. Kruger then landed back on his ATV as Grumm landed hard.

"This is what you get for messing with SPD!" Kruger told him coldly. He blasted Grumm, who cried out as he was flung through the air. "It's all over Grumm," he told the fallen Emperor.

"Don't be a fool, Kruger. You may have won this time, but I swear to you this: it will be a long battle, with many surprises!" Grumm warned the Shadow Ranger.

"Nothing you do surprises me, Grumm," Kruger shook his head. "I will be waiting, and this time SPD will prevail!" he vowed. With an angry yell, Grumm threw a blast of dark energy that Kruger deflected. When the smoke cleared, Grumm was gone. "You'll never take Earth, Grumm. I promise you that," Kruger declared quietly.

"Well done Sir!"

"You all did well Rangers," Kruger nodded to his team, and raised his sword. "SPD!" he yelled.

"SPD!" the Rangers echoed as they saluted. Birdie was silent, watching them. After a moment, he saluted.

"SPD," he spoke quietly.

* * *

"Seriously, can't this dude hurry up and leave already?" Annie muttered, tugging at her skirt again.

"Stop fidgeting, you don't want to make him mad again," Syd whispered to her.

"This formal uniform _sucks_ ," Annie grumbled. The other Rangers shushed her as Birdie and Kruger approached.

"I have written my highest recommendation to the Central Command, regarding these Rangers of yours, Kruger," Birdie announced. "A fine group," he praised.

"That they are, sir," Kruger nodded. Kat smiled proudly at the seven. Birdie saluted, and they did the same. He and Kruger walked off, and the Rangers relaxed.

"Oh, thank god," Spencer sighed, fixing his glasses as Birdie left. The others couldn't help but laugh. Kruger suddenly turned to them.

"Wipe those silly looking grins off your faces," he told them sharply. "If you think that it is going to be a holiday around here, well you're wrong," despite his stern tone, the Rangers couldn't help but smile, relieved to have their Commander back. "You're soft, spoiled, stubborn! Every last one of you! Aren't you supposed to be attending training at this particular moment?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah we are," Sky muttered to the others.

"I'm so changing first," Annie declared as the cadets scattered. Kruger smirked as he watched. It was definitely good to be back.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	17. Messenger Part 1

**So I'm pretty hyped to admit that I've finished writing SPD! So the updates should be pretty decent from now, much better than before I got back into writing this story. Again, pretty bummed to end it, but really proud that I finally got over my writer's block!  
**

 **I hope you continue to enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 17: Messenger Part 1

Biting into a peach, Spencer took a seat silently, no-one speaking as tension was thick in the rec room. Annie sat beside him, the two watching Bridge and Syd, who were lying on the floor, building a pyramid from magnets. Annie had no idea why it was so riveting, but couldn't take her eyes off it.

As Bridge went to place the final piece, Boom suddenly raced in, carrying a large piece of equipment and yelling loudly. He sprinted through the room, destroying the pyramid.

"Hey!" Syd cried, heartbroken as Bridge stared at the spot where the pyramid had been standing. Annie sighed, handing money over to Spencer.

"I swear, you must be psychic or something," she complained. When Spencer froze, she frowned, but before she could ask what his problem was, Boom started stammering.

"Me-no, this radio! Important – with Kruger and – and Kat and – Rangers – just follow me, _now_!" Boom finally managed to say. He took off again, and the four followed him quickly. They ran through the corridors, and he almost took out Sky and Z on his way.

"Cadets, I have told you before," Kruger growled as he turned away from Kat and Jack. "This is not a place of play!" he scolded. "Or a cafeteria, Cadet Bly," he added, seeing the peach still in Spencer's hand.

"Not play! Big trouble!" Boom told him quickly. "I've been working on this, for a while now – on our own time," he added. "I built a radio receiver," he explained.

"How cute! He built a radio and he wants us all to hear it!" Syd realised.

"Dude, we ran through the base for that?" Annie frowned.

"I lost my pyramid for that?" Bridge muttered, making her laugh.

"No! You _have_ to hear this!" Boom told them, still looking frantic. They sobered quickly. "Anyway, I was thinking, where do radio waves go when we finish listening to them?" he asked. Bridge raised his hand. "Or, radio waves from yesterday, or even 10 years ago?" he asked. Bridge still had his hand raised. "Out in space, that's where!" Bridge dropped his hand, looking annoyed. Annie patted his shoulder sympathetically. "So, I built this receiver to pick up free radical radio waves in space, thinking I'd maybe get, you know, the 1932 world series, or even an old presidential debate! But...no...just listen," he pleaded. He activated the machine, and it crackled to life.

' _If anyone can hear this, please send help! Today, July 11, is the 20_ _th_ _anniversary of the Troobian takeover of Earth_!' a frantic voice declared.

"A radio broadcast from space?" Jack murmured, before laughing. "What a hoax," he giggled.

"Just...listen," Boom pleaded. Jack's smile fell as the transmission continued.

' _July 11_ _th_ _, the same day Space Patrol Delta fell, leaving us defenceless. The Troobian forces have flushed out all but a few of us freedom fighters! We have sent out Omega, but have not heard word. Signing off, July 11_ _th_ _, 2048_ ,' the transmission ended, and nobody spoke.

"Guys, come on," Jack rolled his eyes. "A radio transmission from the future? Not possible," he told them as everyone else looked worried. "Kat?" he asked, hoping she'd back him up.

"Well...if Einstein's theory of time is correct...it's possible," she admitted.

"Hello? Key word: theory. A thought, not proven," Jack frowned, adamant that it was fake.

"Cadet, you might be right, and I hope that you are, but today is July 11th, 2028, the day that broadcast claims SPD fell. Do you want to take any chances?" Kruger challenged him. Jack frowned. Spencer closed his eyes, his mind on the transmission.

" _Guys, don't give up!" Jack yelled loudly to his team. All of them were worn out, exhausted. "The base might be gone, but we're still hear! We have to keep fighting!" the Red Ranger turned to them, his helmet cracked and his suit scorched. The rest of them weren't faring much better._

" _Jack's right!" Sky nodded, looking out over the wreckage in front of them at the three enemies. A woman in purple and black spandex with long dark hair and a lightning bolt under her eye, and two aliens who were similar in appearance, stood opposite them. "We're SPD! We don't give up!" he yelled._

" _Yeah!" Syd called as they drew their weapons._

" _Let's do this!" the Rangers ran to face the three, who laughed as the middle one raised his hand to the sky, and the ground beneath the Rangers began to glow._

Spencer's head spun and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground with the other Rangers around him, calling his name as he groaned and everything went dark.

* * *

Slowly regaining consciousness, Spencer slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light shining over him.

"Hey," Kat smiled softly at him, her expression betraying her worry as she flashed a light in his eyes. He flinched, blinking rapidly. "Do you remember what happened?" she asked him.

"Uh..." Spencer frowned as he thought about it. "Boom's radio warned us about a future that might or might not happen...then," he winced as the images from before flashed in his mind. "I passed out?" he frowned, looking up at her. Kat nodded.

"Spencer!" the Rangers rushed in, and Kat rolled her eyes.

"I told you I'd call you when he was awake," she scolded.

"How are you feeling man?" Jack asked. Spencer gave a small laugh.

"Well considering I just passed out like some damsel in distress, a little embarrassed," he admitted. Kat frowned as she checked his pulse, and viewed his charts.

"Physically, I can't see anything wrong with you. And you've not taken any hits to the head recently," she commented.

"Thankfully Annie has stopped doing that," Spencer grinned.

"I will start again," she warned him, making them chuckle. "Spence, do you have any idea why you passed out?" Annie asked, worried about her friend.

"I saw..." he started, and trailed off, glancing away.

"What is it?" Sky asked curiously. Spencer sighed heavily.

"I got this...I guess the only way to describe it is a vision. Kinda like a movie playing in my head," the Gold Ranger admitted. "Of us fighting. The base was destroyed, the city was close to it..." he murmured, putting a hand to his head as it pulsed again.

"You sure that wasn't just your mind messing with you?" Jack asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"It's happened before," their eyes widened at his quiet confession.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Z asked with a frown. Spencer shrugged.

"Because I don't know what they mean. I mean, up until I joined SPD, I never got anything like this, at least not that I remember," Spencer told them. "I've never heard of this happening before. Sometimes it's when I'm asleep, sometimes it's when I'm awake. But I saw Zurgane attack us, in a dream, right before the Abyss opened. When we were looking for Sam, I saw Z get turned into a doll," her eyes widened.

"That's why you came looking for me," she realised. He nodded.

"Psychic dreams, premonitions," he glanced to Bridge, who was deep in thought. "Can I see?" he asked curiously.

"Sure, go for it," Spencer shrugged. Standing beside him, Bridge pulled a glove off and touched his fingers to his temples, focusing. Spencer did the same, thinking of the vision, and wincing when his head hurt from it. Bridge jerked, and stumbled backwards.

"Whoa," his eyes were wide as Annie and Sky caught him. "That was definitely a vision you saw," he nodded.

"But how?" Spencer frowned. "None of my powers are connected to that sort of thing. I'd know if there'd been a chance of it," he was confused, wondering just how he was seeing things as he was.

"No clue," Bridge smiled, despite his heavy breathing. He tugged his glove back on, straightening up. Annie shot him a concerned look and he grinned, aware that his cheeks were going red. "But they don't always come true," he added.

"Let's hope not," Spencer muttered, and Bridge's smile faltered very slightly. The others exchanged looks, wondering just what they had seen.

"Okay, you need to rest," Kat decided. Spencer tried to protest, but a stern look from her silenced him. "The rest of you, out," she ushered the rest of the Rangers out as Spencer huffed.

"Since when has Spencer been seeing the future?" Z asked Annie, who frowned at her.

"I dunno. He never told me," Z frowned back, not liking Annie's irritable tone.

"I thought you guys told each other everything," she accused. Annie's frown turned darker, and Z felt a shiver run down her spine.

"We don't sit and braid each other's hair while gossiping about the cute boys, Z," the Silver Ranger growled at her. She was worried about her friend, annoyed he'd not told her, and the transmission warning was still on her mind. She didn't need Z being snippy as well.

"Guys, don't fight," Syd pleaded with them.

"We need to be working together if this is real," Bridge nodded.

"I'm just saying, if he doesn't tell you what's going on, who _does_ he tell?" Z demanded. "What if he's seen a lot more and just held back?" Annie's eyes widened.

"You trying to say he saw this broadcast coming?" she demanded.

"What I'm saying is how can we trust him to have our back if he's still keeping secrets?" there was a tense pause, before Annie took a breath and turned in the opposite direction.

"If you have to ask that, then you're the one with the problem Z," Annie told her, storming off. Syd glanced at Z, before hurrying after Annie.

"I don't think Spencer is holding back," Sky spoke up, to the surprise of those remaining. "Okay, yeah he did at first, but this is different. I trust him. I don't believe he'd keep secrets like that," Z stared at him, and her gaze hardened.

"Well what if it _is_ true? We could all die today," with that, she turned and stormed off as well.

"That went well," Bridge glanced to the remaining Rangers, who exchanged worried looks.

* * *

The group ran into the command centre, wondering just what was happening as the alarm blared loudly. Annie and Syd followed the others in, with Annie looking more calm.

"The broadcast has been verified and the first alarm has been sounded," Kruger announced. "Where is Cadet Delgado? And is Bly still in the infirmary?" he asked, noticing that they were missing a few Rangers.

"After the broadcast, Z kinda freaked out and took off. I'll notify her," Jack said.

"I'm here," Spencer called as he jogged in. "Sorry, took them a little convincing that I'm okay," he chuckled.

"Go Rangers!" Kruger ordered.

* * *

Racing through the city already already Morphed, all but Z reached the location they'd been warned about. They ran towards where they could heard smashing, and spotted a green alien.

"Freeze! SPD!" Jack called

"Hey! We're talking to you!" Syd called, and he turned around to reveal long red dreadlocks and glowing red eyes. Spencer and Bridge's eyes widened.

"Spencer, that's..."

"Yeah...guys, be careful. This dude is one of the guys I saw," Spencer warned the team.

"Me? You must be joking!" the alien laughed.

"Does it look like we're laughing?" Jack frowned.

"Okay, try and stop me!" Shorty goaded, leaping into the air. He suddenly landed on the ground between the Rangers, hard enough to send them flying. They rolled along and back to their feet, facing him.

"He's a tough one," Syd frowned.

"We're tougher!" Sky called, and they blasted Shorty, only for him to catch the attacks and throw them back. When they got back to his feet, the alien caught Bridge and Jack with powerful punches, and turned, swinging his fist. He caught Annie as she leapt at him, and she was thrown into a building hard.

"No-one can stop me!" Shorty laughed as the other three ran over to them.

"We can!" Jack shouted as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Come on then!" Shorty ran past them all, striking them hard. The Rangers went down, and their suits shattered as he laughed hard.

"Sorry I'm late," Z ran up, helping Jack up. "I met a new friend," she muttered.

"So did we..." Bridge looked up at Shorty. "But I don't think you're gonna like him," he admitted.

"Bring forth the robot of destruction!" Shorty suddenly yelled. A massive robot suddenly landed, red in colour, shaking the ground.

"Why do I have this feeling that it's going to be a long day..." Sky muttered.

"Now it's gonna get really fun!" Shorty laughed. The robot began moving through town, and Shorty laughed even more. "You're really in trouble now!" he then leapt off, disappearing before they could stop him.

 _'Sending Zords_ ' Kat called as the Runners raced through town.

* * *

Morgana, piloting the robot, summoned a strange metal object, approaching it as the Megazord peered out from behind a building.

"That doesn't look good," Z gulped. "We gotta do something!" she called. They ducked back behind the building to catch their breath. "Come on Rangers, let's do it!" Z yelled, and they suddenly burst out from behind their cover. The other Rangers cried out as Z took control. "Let's take that thing down!"

"Z, be careful!" Spencer shouted as the Megazord fired a blast. Neither the robot, nor the device, were damaged.

"Nice try Rangers!" Morgana taunted. The robot faced them, and Z growled.

"What's up with her?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"She's fired up..." Sky frowned.

"She's not thinking clearly," Annie complained. The Megazord leapt into the air for a power strike, only for the robot to catch the blade. They were then thrown to the ground, crying out.

"It's too strong!" Z groaned. "Jack help! We gotta get back up!" she pleaded. On the top of the device, Shorty then dropped something into the device. The robot then ran at the Megazord again, and attacked. They were restrained by the robot, but as Shorty went to activate the device, Kruger intercepted. The two began to fight on the roof of a building, while the Rangers continued to struggle in the grasp of Morgana. Before long, they'd lost their sword, and were knocked to the ground. They were ejected, demorphing again, and Morgana leapt out.

"Had enough?" she asked with a mocking smile.

"I've had enough of _you_!" Z snapped.

"Oh please, you weren't even a challenge!" Morgana scoffed. "And I thought the Rangers were supposed to be tough," she rolled her eyes as they got back to their feet.

"You haven't seem tough yet. Right guys?" Z called.

"Right!" the Rangers nodded.

"Fine with me!" Morgana's helmet returned.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed and began to fight again.

"Face it! You're in way over your heads Rangers!" Morgana taunted as she leapt into the air.

"Think again! Call to the Beast Inside! Let loose the bull!" Spencer summoned his animal spirit.

"Sky of Wonder, Power of Thunder!" Annie blasted Morgana with a shockwave of thunder. She cried out as she was tossed through the air, directly into the path of the other Rangers, who fired their blasters. Z leapt back into the air and cut through Morgana, who landed on the ground hard. A moment later, Shorty landed beside her.

"Get up and fight!" Morgana got up and pushed Shorty to his feet. Kruger landed with the Rangers, and they faced the two.

"It's all over for you Morgana!" Z called, but Morgana turned, and spotted something at her feet.

"Yes!" she laughed at her luck, lifting the activation button.

"No!" the Rangers cried in horror.

"Activate!" the device flew into the air and exploded in a cluster of fireworks.

"It was just fireworks..." Z breathed a sigh of relief.

"Judgement time! Delgado?" Kruger turned to the Yellow Ranger. She nodded, stepping forwards as she lifted her Morpher.

"Shorty! Morgana! You're charged with the attempted takeover and destruction of earth. Judgement!" she activated it and it flashed red. "Guilty! RIC!" she called on the robot, tossing the bone in to the air.

"Canine Cannon!" they aimed it at the two and blasted them. However, before it could hit them, another figure leapt in the way and blocked it.

"Not this time!" another voice laughed.

"Who is that?" Z gasped, and the smoke cleared to reveal another alien.

"It's the other guy from my vision!" Spencer yelled in horror.

"A friend," Morgana smiled.

"My big brother," Shorty nodded.

"I am Devastation! The most wanted criminal in the galaxy!" he declared. The alien then swung his weapon, and the Rangers were blasted off their feet. "A sample of my power," Devastation laughed as they groaned, smarting from the blow. When they got back to their feet, he blasted them again.

"This can't be...the end..." Spencer groaned, a hand to his chest. He pushed himself up, and his eyes widened as he found Devastation in front of him. The alien went to strike him down, only for Kruger to block his strike. The two began to fight, but the newcomer was stronger, and Kruger was thrown back. The two continued to fight as the Rangers struggled to get back up.

"Oh no!" Z cried out as Morgana landed in front of them.

"Hey! I want a piece of the action too!" Shorty whined. "Yeah!" he yelled as the Rangers fell into fighting stances.

"You waste your time fighting us," Morgana warned. "Together, the three of us are invincible," she bragged. "Surrender," she told them.

"Not if I can help it!" Z growled. She, Z and Annie drew their swords and the three attacked Morgana, while the other four focused on Shorty. However, divided, they weren't as strong, and were thrown to the ground once again.

"That is your lesson for today. Your homework: feel the emotion that rages within you. It is called _fear_ ," Devastation told them coldly. He then turned and walked away with a laugh.

"Big brother? Aren't we going to finish this?" Shorty asked in surprise.

"No," Devastation shook his head. "Let them marinade in fear," he chuckled. The three laughed, turning and walking away.

"I never anticipated such power..." Kruger breathed, and Jack punched the ground angrily.

* * *

"I have sent an urgent message to Galaxy Command, and am awaiting word," Kruger told the Rangers, all of whom were covered in cuts and bruises. "Until we hear, let's find out who we're dealing with," they all looked to Kat and Kayden, who were standing nearby.

"His name is Devastation," Kat told them.

"Who would name a kid that?" Z muttered.

"And he really is the most wanted criminal in the galaxy," Kayden continued, unable to smile at Z's comment.

"Our lucky day," Jack muttered wryly.

"Not really. His brother Shorty is the second," Kat told them. "But this Morgana...I can't find anything out about her," she admitted.

"I know her," Kruger stood, frowning. "She is powerful, evil, and has the imagination of a 10 year old child," he told them.

"That's a scary mix," Syd shivered.

"No kidding," Spencer muttered.

"The Zords took a beating as well. It will take some time to get them back online," Kruger added to the bad news. The console suddenly beeped, and they looked around quickly to see Birdie on screen.

"Commander Kruger, Rangers," he greeted, and they saluted. "SPD headquarters is aware of your plight. We regret that at this time...it would take too long to get to you," Birdie admitted in a regretful voice. Whatever hope the Rangers had disappeared. "And I fear depleting our forces would fall into Grumm's trap. You are on your own. Good luck," Birdie told them, and the transmission ended.

"So what? That's it? 'Good luck fighting the two most wanted criminals in the galaxy'? It's a joke!" Spencer exclaimed angrily.

"Spencer, do you know _any_ more about these guys?" Z's question made him frown. " _Anything_ that could help us take them down?" she asked.

"What? Z, I caught a 10 second glimpse of us getting wiped off the face of the planet by these dudes!" Spencer's exclamation made the others freeze. "You think I would know something and not tell you?" her eyes went wide at the hurt in his tone.

"Spencer, that's not what-"

"I'm sorry," Z spoke quietly as Syd tried to defend the Yellow Ranger. "You're right. I just want something that would help take these guys down," she told Spencer.

"If I knew, I'd have told you guys the moment they arrived," Spencer told her, still hurt by her words. "I don't control whatever the hell is happening to me Z, and I'm not going to rely on something that might not even come true," he said. Z sighed, knowing she'd gone too far.

"Guys come on," Jack's voice was quiet. "We need to stick together if we're going to have any chance of beating these guys," he said.

"I know," Spencer muttered. Annie put a hand on his arm, giving him a small smile. He nodded back to her, murmuring something the others didn't hear. The alarm suddenly blared, and they looked around to see Shorty on screen again.

"Go Rangers!" Kruger called.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and hurried out to battle.

* * *

Looking out at the harbour, Shorty bounced along, ready to cause more trouble.

"Freeze! SPD!" he whirled around to see the Rangers running towards him.

"We're bringing you in!" Shorty groaned.

"Not you losers again!"

"We'll show you who's a loser!" the Rangers blasted him, but Shorty dodged their attacks, tossing Sky into the water as he knocked them around.

"I rule!" Shorty laughed as he knocked Syd and Z to the ground.

"Not yet!" Sky burst out of the water and blasted him repeatedly, flooring Shorty.

"Come on RIC!"

"Canine Cannon!" the Rangers called on their weapon.

"Give it your best shot! I'm not scared!" Shorty goaded.

"Target locked," Jack aimed the cannon, and Shorty ran at them again. The Rangers were knocked aside, before Spencer caught him in the face with an energy-ball, stunning him long enough for Jack to blast the alien. He screamed as he was thrown back against the wall of the warehouse. "Gotcha!" Jack smirked. However, Shorty got back to his feet, screaming as he sparked green.

"What the hell?" Annie gasped. Shorty began to grow, and towered over them.

"They won't call me Shorty anymore!" he laughed.

"We need the Runners Kat!" Jack called.

' _Bad news, the Zords aren't coming_ ,' Kat's grave voice replied.

"You're kidding! We're in big trouble here!" Jack yelled, before they were forced to leap away as Shorty stomped his foot down. He laughed loudly.

"No time for jokes Kat, we need the Megazord!" Sky pleaded.

' _I wish I were joking. The repairs aren't finished yet_ ,' she explained.

"Now what do we do?" Bridge asked, before Shorty smashed the warehouse, and the Rangers dove to the ground again to avoid the wreckage raining down on them.

"It's not over yet!" Jack fired several blasts at Shorty with the canine cannon as Spencer threw energy-balls too, and Shorty cried out, but all it did was stun him. Enraged, Shorty blasted them once again, and the Rangers were floored. "Maybe the message was right...this is the end..."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Please review!**


	18. Messenger Part 2

**Thought I'd get one more chapter in before Christmas!  
**

 **I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 18: Messenger Part 2

The massive green alien laughed loudly, looking down at the Rangers on the ground. They slowly pushed themselves to their feet, feeling the blows that had been dealt.

' _Rangers, I'm on my way_!' Kruger contacted them, and they looked up to see the Delta Command Megazord approaching.

"Delta Command Megazord, ready!" the Megazord flashed as they locked in. Shorty glared at them.

"You may be bigger, but you're still not better!" he told them. He leapt into the air and rushed past them repeatedly, striking them and making the Megazord shudder.

"Our base can't keep up with him!" Sky yelled as they struggled to stay on their feet. Shorty then bounced off their head and landed, turning to blast them again.

"He's too fast!" Z cried as they were shoved backwards.

"We're in big trouble! We need help!" Jack groaned.

' _That's what I'm here for_ ,' they all froze at the unfamiliar voice.

"Who said that?" Jack frowned.

' _Stand back Rangers, I'll take it from here_!' they looked around to see a Zord rushing towards the fight.

"You want us to stand back? Who are you?" Spencer frowned. The Zord shot out from behind the Megazord, landing easily. The Rangers cried out in surprise, watching as a bike shaped Zord raced towards Shorty, before changing into a Megazord.

"SPD, you're under arrest!" the stranger declared.

"Uh...Kat, Kayden...you didn't make any new Zords in the last, y'know, five minutes, did you?" Spencer asked slowly, unable to believe what he was seeing.

' _We're good, but we're not that good_ ,' Kayden's voice was equally shocked.

"It's SPD, but just who is piloting that thing?" Annie asked.

"Two against one! I still like my odds!" Shorty wasn't intimidated by the newcomer. He jumped at the new Megazord, but his punches just bounced off, and he fell to the ground. The Megazord then summoned two swords, slashing Shorty as he got up.

"He's good," Jack commented as Shorty fell again. The Megazord then changed, becoming more bikelike, and shot into the air, spinning as it hurtled towards Shorty, cutting through him. It landed, changing back, as Shorty screamed and collapsed.

"No way...he beat that guy like it was nothing!" Sky stared in shock. A light flashed, and a figure leapt from the Megazord, landing in front of Morgana and Devastation.

"Come on!" Jack called. The Rangers leapt from their own Megazord, rushing towards the three, and stopped in their tracks when they found them. "There he is," Jack frowned.

"No way..." Annie breathed, her eyes wide.

"Another Ranger?" Bridge blinked rapidly. The newcomer wore a suit mostly white, with blue down one side and gold outlining it. His Morpher was strapped to his wrist, with the SPD badge over his heart.

"First seven Rangers...then eight...and now nine?!" Morgana complained.

"It's only going to take one Ranger to stop you!" the new Ranger declared. "And that'd be me," he said confidently. "SPD Omega Ranger! And I've travelled a long way, just for you," he told the two.

"I like his style," Jack nodded.

"You would," Spencer couldn't help but grin slightly. He had to admit, the new guy was impressive.

"Oh really?" Devastation wasn't as impressed. "Let's get this party started!" he challenged.

"Thought you'd never ask," the Ranger chuckled. Devastation blasted him repeatedly, not giving the Ranger time to react, and a cloud of smoke kicked up around him. The Rangers gasped in horror as Morgana burst out laughing. Devastation chuckled as well, but it was short lived as they heard footsteps in the smoke. Slowly, the Ranger emerged, unharmed.

"He's okay!" Z realised. Wordlessly, he dropped tiny orbs of energy to the ground, and they shattered.

"But how?!" Devastation demanded.

"Pay attention and I'll show you," the mysterious Ranger said. "By controlling energy waves, I'm slowing down time. So catching your laser pellets? Easy!" he taunted.

"Whoa...amazing!"

"Glad he's on our side," Bridge nodded.

"You don't scare us!" Morgana growled slowly, trying to maintain a bravado.

"My apologies. Maybe this will," using his Morpher and revving the lever on the side, he called on more power. "Omega Morpher! Blast mode!" he put his hand to the ground and energy shot from his hand, over to Morgana and Devastation, blowing them off their feet.

"Dude has real power," Annie nodded her approval.

"And to think, I'm not even warmed up yet," the Ranger laughed as he approached. Morgana pulled her partner to his feet quickly.

"We'll be back, mystery Ranger!" Morgana warned, and the two ran off before they could be stopped.

"Cowards!" the Ranger scoffed.

"Unbelievable!" Syd laughed as the Rangers ran over to him.

"Who are you?" Sky asked him curiously.

"I am Omega Ranger," he announced, turning to face them.

"Power Down," the Rangers demorphed, and immediately felt the exhaustion of their battles. "Yeah, I think we got that part," Jack laughed. The Omega Ranger chuckled. "I'm Jack, that's Sky, Bridge, Z, Syd, Spencer and Annie," the others waved to him. "It's nice to meet you," the Red Ranger said.

"This isn't the first time we've met," Omega told them. "And it won't be the last," he turned, and suddenly changed into a ball of light. The Rangers stared as it shot off and disappeared.

"Huh. That's new," Spencer commented.

* * *

The Rangers returned to base, all sporting new cuts and bruises after their hard battles.

"I've made enquiries into all SPD bases. No reports of an Omega Ranger," Kat told them.

" _We have sent out Omega, but have not heard word_ ," the Rangers looked at Spencer as he spoke. "That's what the broadcast reported," he reminded them.

"They must have meant him," Syd realised. "And he was definitely there, we saw him," she confirmed.

"What did he mean by 'this isn't the first time we've met, or the last'?" Jack wondered.

"Yeah!" Bridge nodded eagerly. "And what's with being here one minute, and being this teeny-tiny little sparkle the next?" he asked.

"Spencer, could it be magic?" Sky couldn't believe what he was asking, and he saw the glee in the Gold Ranger's eyes.

"Didn't detect a trace of it," he shook his head.

"Did you say sparkle?" they glanced to Boom.

"Maybe more like a twinkle?" Bridge suggested with a shrug.

"Well...like this?" Boom asked, bringing up footage of the team standing in the control room. The sparkle flew over their heads, and none of them seemed to notice. It then changed to footage of the forest, as the same sparkle flew through the trees. It also seemed to follow Kat at one point.

"Yeah! That's it!" Bridge nodded.

"So he's been here since the time portal opened in Japan?" Annie realised.

"Well...actually..." they looked around as they heard Omega's voice again. "I came through the temporal portal with him," they looked around to see the glowing orb approach. There was another flash of light, and the Omega Ranger was standing there. He raised his hand, revealing a hologram. "My ID. Omega Ranger, 11C-41D. You look surprised," he commented.

"Yes. I have a lot of questions," Kruger told him.

"Sir, it will be an honour to brief you," Omega saluted him.

"That's some name," Annie murmured, making the others grin.

"I was able to stop the last attack, but you're not out of danger yet," Omega told them brightly.

"Well what I saw can't really happen any more," Spencer commented. "I mean I saw all three there, and now Shorty's been defeated, it shouldn't happen," he said, his brow furrowing as he thought about it.

"What I'd like to know is what's with the sparkle ball thing you do," Annie told the Ranger. Bridge pulled off his glove and waved his hand through the air.

"He's not human," they glanced to Bridge. "I'm getting a huge energy reading," he told them. Omega laughed.

"Oh, I'm human," he insisted with a chuckle. "Passing through the time portal has crystallized my being into light energy," the Ranger explained.

"Light energy? I didn't think that could happen," Spencer mused, folding his arms. "But time travel _is_ an untested thing," he added.

"Yeah, we don't really know _what_ would happen if a human passed through a time portal," Bridge agreed with him.

"Nerds," Annie and Syd whispered to each other. The two rolled their eyes in good nature, not really offended.

"If you're human, tell us where you came from," Jack challenged him.

"The future," Omega told them simply. They all stared at him in alarm, none of them knowing what to say.

* * *

"So...when you heard the Rangers had lost their battle against Morgana, you came from the future to try and change it?" Kat asked him slowly when the Ranger finished explaining.

"Exactly!" Omega nodded. "SPD code dictates that a Ranger will not stand by when another Ranger is in trouble. _That's_ why I came. To save you," he explained. The Rangers stared at him, shocked.

"And for that, we all owe you a debt of gratitude," Kruger told him.

"Your vehicle and Zord will be safe in our bay while you're here," Kat said.

"And with you and your gear on our team, when Morgana and her goons attack, we'll get rid of them for good," Jack nodded confidently.

"You don't get it," Omega shook his head. "It's _my_ duty to defeat Morgana and Devastation. Your outdated technology will only get in my way," he told them as they frowned at him.

"Outdated?" Kayden repeated, blinking rapidly. He glanced to Kat, who looked thoroughly unimpressed by the statement.

"You won't be needed," Omega said with a shrug.

"Hey, wait a minute," Sky spoke up, insulted as well. "We weren't exactly helpless out there," he told the Ranger, who laughed.

"It didn't look that way to me," he replied.

"Listen Sparky, our gear is state of the art. Best in the world," Z told him with a growl.

"For its time, yes," Omega conceded. "But your weapons and vehicles can't compare with those from the future," he told them arrogantly.

"Look here Sparkle-Pants," Spencer put a hand to his face as Annie stepped forwards. "Your gear might be good, but that's not all you need to win a battle," she told him firmly.

"It takes heart and guts to keep fighting," Jack nodded. "Even if you think you don't have a chance," he told the Ranger.

"Our greatest weapon is courage. Always has been, always will be," Spencer nodded. He pushed up his glasses with a frown, unimpressed by the cocky attitude of the new Ranger.

"That _sounds_ good, but it's not very realistic," Omega replied, not won over by their words. Annie scoffed, shaking her head as Spencer rolled his eyes. The others were just as annoyed by him, nobody knowing quite what to say. The alarm then blared, and Kat turned to the console quickly as they turned around.

"Report," Kruger called.

"Morgana and Devastation are back," Kat announced.

"No!" Omega held out a hand as the Rangers went to run out. "I said, I'll handle it," he told them. "On your orders, Sir," he glanced to Kruger.

"Rangers?" Kruger glanced to them.

"Let him do it himself," Annie turned away and walked over to the console to stand with Kayden.

"If he thinks he can do it himself, perfect," Sky nodded with a roll of his eyes.

"For once we agree," Jack said.

"Totally," Z nodded.

"Yeah, go for it," Bridge agreed. Syd nodded.

"I'd offer you luck, but you clearly don't need it," Spencer gave a pleasant smile as well.

"Go Omega Ranger," Kruger ordered.

"Thank you Sir!" Omega ran off, and the Rangers rolled his eyes.

"He's a little cocky," Syd commented. Sky gave a small laugh, shaking his head as he turned to the screens to watch Morgana and Devastation walk through the city.

"Just a bit," he agreed sarcastically. The other Rangers moved to watch as well, and Kayden glanced to them, knowing they were more than a little offended by the new Ranger, who had basically called them useless. He couldn't blame them for it. His eyebrow raised when he saw Spencer move to stand with the others, and Z edged away from him. Kayden sighed. Nothing could ever go smoothly for them.

They watched Omega Ranger arrived at the scene and easily took on the Krybots that surrounded him. They kept coming, but with flourishing moves, he easily knocked them away, destroying them. Three Blue-Heads then rushed at him, blasting him, but he dodged. Using the power of his Morpher, Omega caught the tower that fell from their attacks, and tossed it at them. It shattered on impact, leaving the Ranger unharmed.

"And this time, stay down," he said. He was then caught off guard by Morgana, who kicked him through a wall.

"Completely unaware of his surroundings, dude's in over his head," Spencer muttered. Omega leapt back out, unharmed.

"Like I said, cocky," Syd glanced to Spencer, who hummed in agreement. Omega used his Morpher again, bombarding Morgana with punches, and as she was thrown back, he blasted the ground again and knocked the two down.

"Had enough?" he taunted.

"He's totally reliant on that thing," Sky realised as the two got to their feet again.

"Not nearly!" Morgana ran at Omega again, and as the two fought, a golden circle appeared around the two.

"Fury Circle!" Morgana and Omega cried out as they were blasted hard.

"He's really having a tough time," Syd commented, her arms folded.

"Well, that's what you get for being so stubborn," Jack shrugged.

"A trait many Rangers seem to share," Kat muttered. Kayden snorted. That was an understatement.

"Hey, he didn't want our help," Z reminded her.

"He called us old and busted," Bridge looked offended.

"And told us our views were unrealistic. That was just rude," Annie sniffed.

"All true," Kruger nodded as Omega was thrown through the air. "But I seem to recall something about an SPD code," he glanced to them.

"Sky? You're Mr. SPD Handbook Monitor, what do you think?" Syd glanced to the Blue Ranger.

"Do you have to call me that?" he asked with a frown. She just smiled back innocently. Spencer ran a hand through his hair.

"Leave no Ranger behind, arrogant newbies or not," he pointed out.

"Do we have to?" Annie whined.

* * *

Omega groaned as he pushed himself back up. Morgana whimpered on the ground, unable to get back to her feet.

"That wasn't the plan..." she complained weakly.

"So I see," Omega nodded, before looking around to see Devastation leaping at him, swinging his blade down hard. He cried out as it struck him across the chest, and he blocked as best he could from the alien's attacks. However, it didn't last, as he was thrown to the ground again.

"You are _finished_!" Devastation declared, raising his sword again.

"Bring it!" Omega challenged.

"No!" as Devastation went to strike him again, Jack tackled the new Ranger out of the way. They rolled along the ground, and Omega groaned as Jack raised his weapon. Devastation growled in irritation. He turned to strike them both, only for the other Rangers to leap in and block his path.

"What are you doing?!" Omega demanded from the ground.

"We're SPD," Jack told him simply.

"We have a code, haven't you heard?" Sky smirked.

"A Ranger will not stand by..."

"When another Ranger is in trouble," Z finished for Syd.

"Even if the Ranger is, like I said before, arrogant," Spencer nodded.

"But you can't beat this guy!" Omega pushed himself up, looking at them incredulously.

"That's a matter of opinion," Annie replied.

"And besides. A code is a code," Bridge nodded.

"Wait, no-"

"Come on Rangers!" Jack called.

"Right!" the seven raced towards Devastation, who threw a blast at them. They dodged it and attacked Devastation, working together, but he sent them rolling anyway.

"See you later!" Devastation threw a blast at them. Spencer raised a shield and it smashed into it, shattering it on impact. Spencer stumbled backwards, falling to one knee.

"This wasn't supposed to happen..." Omega groaned. "You guys, stand down!" he pleaded as he got to his feet. "It's me he's after!" he pointed out.

"That may be true, but he's gonna have to get through us first!" Jack shouted at him.

"Rangers stick together, no matter what!" Annie told him.

"Foolish humans! Don't you know the power at my fingertips?" Devastation raised a hand, and a golden seal appeared under the feet of the Rangers.

"What's happening?" Bridge asked as they looked down.

"Rangers, get outta there!" Omega cried.

"Fury Circle!" Devastation raised his blade, and the Rangers were bombarded with blasts.

"Hang on guys!" Jack yelled.

"It's draining my energy!" Sky realised.

"We've got to keep fighting!" Z insisted.

"Don't give up now!" Annie yelled.

"They were right...it's heart and courage that are the strongest weapons!" Omega realised quickly, looking down at the ground. He watched as the Rangers focused themselves, crossing their arms over their chests. "You can do it Rangers! I believe in you!" he shouted. With loud yells, they flung out their arms and destroyed the circle.

"No!" Devastation yelled in horror.

"Oh yeah!" they ran at Devastation, working together again and landing kicks together.

"Wow!" Omega ran up to them as they landed. "That was amazing!" he exclaimed.

"Never in doubt," Jack grinned to him, punching his shoulder lightly.

"Never," Omega agreed.

"You will pay _dearly_ for that," Devastation growled furiously.

"Take it from here?" Jack asked Omega, who saluted.

"Yes sir!" he nodded. He then stepped forwards. "Devastation! You're accused of wanton destruction, and disrupting the peace! Judgement mode!" Omega raised his wrist and turned the lever on it to activate it.

"No fair! What about Morgana!" Devastation cried as the light flashed red.

"Guilty!" Omega turned the lever again. "Light-Beam mode!" he held up his hand and summoned a ball of energy. Leaping into the air, he hurled it at Devastation. A powerful explosion rocked the ground, but as the Rangers cheered and the smoke cleared, a red circle shone on the ground.

"I'm back!" he declared, taking them by surprise.

"Oh dude, that's just not right!" Spencer complained. With a loud laugh, Devastation called on the robot from before, leaping inside. The jet on the back fired up, and he shot away.

"Kat! We need the Runners!" Jack yelled to her. The Zords left the bay, and the Rangers leapt inside. "Okay team, game's on!" he called. "Let's get him!" the Megazord raced towards Devastation, before Omega's own Zord raced along.

"Hey! Meet you there!" he laughed.

"I don't think so!" Jack called. The Megazord leapt up, landing on the back of the bike.

"Hey! No free rides!" Omega complained as his Zord jerked.

"Shouldn't have a bike Zord then!" Spencer smirked.

"Just shut up and drive!" Jack told the new Ranger. With a groan, he kept moving, chasing after Devastation.

"SPD, pull over!" Z shouted, but he didn't stop. "Why don't they ever listen?" she rolled her eyes.

"Let me try!" Omega grinned, skidding along. They leapt up into the air, dodging Devastation's attacks as he turned to face them, and they made it through a pile of fallen buildings.

"What?!" he cried out in horror.

"Let's kick it up a gear!" the Zords shot past the robot, and blasted him.

"You'll regret that!" Devastation forced the robot back up, and fired more blasts. However, they were faster, dodging them, and he fired the jets, rushing at them.

"Full power!"

"Lasers, fire now!" the eight dodged the robot's attacks, and blasted him before slamming past him. "You're going down!" Devastation screamed as the robot went down.

"Thank you guys, I couldn't have done it without you," Omega nodded. "Now I understand what teamwork is all about!"

"Finally, he gives us some props!" Jack laughed.

"Took long enough," Annie nodded.

"Hey, you couldn't have done it without me either!" Omega pointed out.

"Oh man!" the others heard a loud thud and yell from Jack as he stood up and hit his head off the roof of his cockpit.

* * *

"Please Spencer?" Syd was pouting at the Gold Ranger as he worked at one of the computers. Beside him, Jack was grinning, trying to stop his laughter.

"Syd, if I do it for you, I'd have to do it for everyone," Spencer said without looking up, sounding exhausted. Syd's pout grew. "No Syd. I'm not doing it. I'm not your walking first aid kit," he told her firmly, aware of what she was doing.

"Please Spence," her voice shook as her eyes went watery. Spencer glanced at her, and groaned.

"Oh, broken," Jack laughed. "Told you not to look at her," he patted Spencer's arm as Spencer ran a hand through his hair again.

"Oh, fine. But this is the _only_ time Syd, okay?" he warned her. Her expression immediately brightened.

"Okay!" she nodded. Jack shook his head. It was so not the only time.

"You're lucky you're cute Syd," Spencer told her, glowing as he put a hand to her cheek.

"We interrupting something here?" Sky asked as he stepped in with Bridge and Annie, raising an eyebrow when he saw Spencer's hand on Syd's cheek. Something unpleasant settled in his stomach.

"Spencer's making sure I stay cute," Syd turned to him with a smile. Spencer rolled his eyes and turned back to the computer.

"You're welcome," he muttered. Reaching up on her tip-toes, Syd kissed his cheek. The unpleasant feeling in Sky's stomach grew.

"Thanks Spence," he swatted her away, focusing on his work as Jack snickered.

"Told you that you'd give," the Red Ranger taunted. "Hey Spence, can you heal me next?" he asked when Spencer shot him a glare.

"Hey, if Jack's getting heals, I want some!" Annie exclaimed, nudging Bridge and grinning to him.

"Oh, yeah, right, me too!" Bridge nodded as he caught on.

"Oh, is Spencer healing everyone?" Z asked cheerfully as she walked in.

"That reminds me, I do have a nasty bruise about here," Sky joined in as well, putting a hand to his shoulder.

"I'll give you a matching one if you want, Sky," Spencer turned to him, his face red.

"I'd like to see you try," Sky challenged. As Spencer rose an eyebrow, ready to accept his challenge, they heard a yell of alarm, and saw Boom slide into the lab.

"Hey, what's up?" Jack asked, still grinning.

"Everyone, now, listen," he pleaded, out of breath.

"What now Boom?" Kat folded her arms.

"Please just tell me it's not another warning about the world ending," Annie requested.

"You guys have to hear this," he requested. Kruger and Omega, who had been ignoring the antics of the other Rangers, glanced over. "It's a transmission, from July 11, 2048," Boom pushed a button, and the static crackled, before they heard pleasant music and he swayed. "Good news, the end of the world message is gone. Bad news? They still have elevator music in the future," Boom laughed.

"Then it's true," Kruger considered. "History has changed. We survived because of you," Kruger turned to Omega, shaking his hand.

"Because of all of us," Omega told him.

"Hey! He's learning!" Jack grinned. "Now if only Spencer could learn to be a team player," he smirked to the Gold Ranger, who rolled his eyes, going even redder.

"Unfortunately, we still don't have a way to get you back to your own time. I'll try to locate another time portal for you," Kat told Omega.

"Thanks," he nodded.

"Meanwhile, there's plenty of room here," Syd told him.

"Yeah! You can stay in our quarters," Bridge offered.

"I don't take up much space," Omega turned back into a glowing orb.

"Okay, that's going to take some getting used to," Sky admitted. "Come on, I'll show you around," he offered.

"Actually, I know this place," Omega admitted. "I used to live here a long time ago," he told them.

"Really?" Z frowned.

"Yeah. As a little boy," Omega explained. "Before I made the transformation to light being, you guys knew me by my human name, Sam," their eyes went wide at his revelation.

"Sam?!" they shouted together.

" _I'm gonna be like you!" Sam saluted suddenly, sitting on the seat of his new bike. "I'm gonna be a Power Ranger!" he declared._

"I told you some day I'd be a Power Ranger," they could hear the smile in his voice as they struggled to find their voices. "See you around guys!" he flew out, and the Rangers ran after him, calling out for him to stop and explain. Kruger just laughed in amusement.

* * *

 **Please review!**

 **Happy holidays everyone!**


	19. Zapped

**Hope you all had a lovely Christmas!**

* * *

Chapter 19: Zapped

The Rangers relaxed in the rec room, enjoying their break. Sam, in his light form, floated about as they listened to Syd read out horoscopes.

"Gemmi's look forward to an exciting day filled with adventure, romance, and a financial windfall," she read aloud.

"Ka-ching! I could use some extra spending cash plus the salary I make at SPD," Jack grinned.

"I can't believe you listen to that nonsense," Spencer rolled his eyes from his seat beside Sky, reading his own book.

"Hey, we can't all be interested in-" Sky lifted the book up to read the title. "The great Ninja War," he read slowly.

"Okay, that sounds awesome," Bridge said, and Spencer shot Sky a smug look. The Blue Ranger rolled his eyes. "Do mine next!" Bridge requested to Syd.

"Alright, what's your sign?" Syd asked, looking down at the magazine that once again had her on the front cover. The others wondered if they ever had anything else. Bridge paused.

"It's hard to say...my mother went into labour on a Transpacific airline, so I was born on one day, and when we landed it was the day before...so I was actually born the day before I was born," he told them.

"Let me see," Annie took the magazine from Syd. "It says that today you're going to be confused, and tomorrow, and the day after that..." he rolled his eyes as the others laughed. "Oh, the day after that you're going to have some toast! Oh, and be confused as well," Bridge took the magazine from her, nudging her with his shoulder as the Silver Ranger laughed.

"Sam?" they glanced over to Kruger. The ball of light, which had been hovering behind Annie and Bridge, flew up and flashed, changing to the Omega Ranger.

"Later guys," he waved, following Kruger off.

"So Kruger gets the Omega Ranger, and we get Sparky the Night-Light," Syd commented when the two walked off.

"Like he's Kruger's long-lost son or something," Z rolled her eyes.

"But he couldn't be his actual son, because of the whole inter-species thing," Bridge pointed out.

"She doesn't mean it literally," Annie told him quietly, reading the magazine. Bridge paused, going red as Z raised an eyebrow at him.

"Come on guys, Sam's new, and he's from the future," Sky frowned at them. "I'm sure Kruger's just trying to gain some valuable information, that's all,"he told them.

"And we're not valuable?" Jack demanded.

"Sky!" Kruger barked suddenly.

"Apparently I am," Sky smirked at them, putting his food down. "Yes Sir!" he stood as Jack rolled his eyes, unable to stop himself from grinning at the timing. The others watched as Sky approached the Commander.

"I need Omega for a while. See that his daily duties are covered," Kruger's order made Sky frown as the others struggled to hide their laughter. Sky attempted to protest, but the two walked off before he could. He turned around and saw them watching him.

"What?" he demanded.

"Very valuable Sky," Spencer smirked over at him. Sky rolled his eyes as he walked back over, taking Spencer's book and hitting him over the head with it.

"You're a brat sometimes Spence," Annie told him as the Gold Ranger chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

* * *

"Don't you think it's weird?" Syd asked as she and Spencer walked through the base, on their way back from patrol duty.

"What?" Spencer asked, frowning down at her.

"That Kruger is spending all his time with Sam. We've barely seen him lately, unless he's been with Sam," the Pink Ranger complained to him. Spencer's frown grew, and he looked back up, adjusting his glasses.

"I'm not too sure. I mean yeah, we haven't seen him as much, but there's been so much on at the moment, I'm not that surprised. I think it's mostly jealousy," his words made her stop, surprised.

"I'm not-"

"Hey, I'm not saying it's true, but if it is," Spencer turned, raising his hands quickly in defence. "I wouldn't hold it against anyone. We've been the first line of defence, the number one go to for any problems, since A-Squad vanished," he pointed out. "Now it's like Kruger has a new favourite toy, and it kinda sucks," he admitted.

"You're right," Syd huffed.

"Hey, for what it's worth," Spencer smiled at her, turning away. The two began to walk again. "I don't think any of us have been forgotten about. There's no way he _could_ forget about us," he nudged her, and the Pink Ranger smiled as they walked into the Command Centre.

"Thanks Spence," she said, and he winked before walking off to talk to Annie. Sky raised an eyebrow at the exchange, and looked down quickly as Syd smiled at him. The others then walked in, called by Kruger, and they stood with Sam.

"Gold, cash and jewellery; all taken in broad daylight, while people are present and no-one saw anything!" Kruger explained, irritated. "The thefts have been going on for weeks and-" the alarm suddenly went off, cutting him off.

"Where is it, Sir?" Jack asked.

"411 Westrose. Omega, I want you to-"

"No, I'll go, sir," Jack volunteered.

* * *

With Kruger's approval, the Rangers headed to their vehicles, with Omega on his own, and they headed out into the city. Reaching the place where the robbery had been reported, they hurried to where they heard a man yelling.

"Stop! Thief!" he yelled.

"Hey, where did the thieves go?" Sam asked.

"Hey! I was gonna say that," Sky complained.

"Then go ahead," Sam frowned at him.

"Fine. I will," Sky fixed his jacket. "SPD, which way did the thieves go?" he asked the man who was looking at him funny.

"It's hard to say really...I didn't actually see them," the man admitted. "I just saw cash floating out of my store!" he told them.

"Hey guys! I got one!" they heard Bridge yell. Running over to where the Green Ranger had gone, they watched him seeming to be fighting no-one, before he was tossing into a table.

"Bridge, what are you doing?" Jack frowned at him. He didn't reply, getting up and throwing a punch. Something seemed to slam into a pillar, and an alien suddenly materialised.

"Okay, that's different," Z commented. Suddenly Krybots, lead by a Blue-Head, appeared, and they stepped back.

"Okay, Sky, you, Annie and Omega take the big lizard. Spencer, Syd, Z and I will take the rest," Jack called. They nodded, grabbing their Morphers.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the six Morphed, leaping down to fight. Bridge was tossed into a chair and fell backwards, and the alien turned.

"I'm outta here!" he yelled, running off. He was followed by Sky, Sam and Annie, who chased him down to a dead end. He turned, attacking them, and they dodged his attacks before trying their own. Sky was then caught by him and tossed to the ground with a cry.

"You alright?" Sam asked as he ran over to him.

With the Krybots, the other four Rangers took out the low ranking robots with ease, before turning to the Blue Head. He blasted them, and it collided with Spencer's shield, shattering it immediately. Before the Blue-Head could react, Bridge leapt in, Morphed, and kicked him. He and Jack stood together, and attacked the Blue-Head, before the other three finished it off.

"Come on!" the alien goaded.

"Omega Morpher, charged up!" Sam punched the alien hard, straight into the path of Spencer's energy-balls, and he crashed to the ground. "You are under arrest! You have the right to remain silent!" Sam shouted as the three restrained him.

"Yeah, yeah, like I haven't heard that before," he rolled his eyes.

* * *

Under orders to interrogate the prisoner by Kruger, the Rangers waited as Jack spoke to him. However, at the offer for a lesser sentence, he just yawned widely and leaned back in his seat, unimpressed.

"We're better you're working with somebody else," Jack said. "All you gotta do is tell us who and we'll take four, five years off your sentence. What do you say?" he asked. All he received in response was a loud belch that echoed.

Sky took his turn next, threatening Al, but it did nothing to encourage him to open up.

Syd then tried her luck, trying the Princess route as she checked her hair in the mirror and bragged about her life. Instead, he asked for Sky again. The others tried to hide their laughter as Sky frowned at them, going red.

Spencer and Annie both failed as well, with Spencer's attempt to get the monster talking his way into giving up who he was working with ending like the rest. Annie's went even better, with Al demanding Sky back again.

Z started playing Syd's single that she had released, titled 'Me', to the horror of the alien. He pleaded for Sky again, and the Blue Ranger glanced to Syd with a grin.

"What does he know?!" the Pink Ranger demanded. "He's a lizard," she pouted, offended.

"Well...I guess it's Bridge's turn next?" Spencer glanced to the Green Ranger, who smiled brightly. They walked as Bridge talked at Al, rambling and going off on tangents as he went on about security and safety. He continued to ramble as Al became increasingly more frustrated, pacing as Bridge took a seat.

"Stop! I can't take it any more!" Al finally wailed. "I'll talk, I'll talk," he promised. "It was Mystidon, helped by some dame, named Morgana," he explained as Bridge glanced to the mirror and gave a thumbs up.

"He's good," Sky couldn't help but grin.

"Grumm, Commander?" Kat glanced to Kruger.

"Yes," the Sirian nodded. "He's up to something," he muttered.

* * *

"Mysticon huh?" Annie folded her arms as they searched for information on the name Al had given up.

"Seems to be a street performer. A magician," Bridge said, and Annie instantly hissed at him to be quiet. "What? All I said was that he's a-" Annie clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking her head quickly. She then looked around, and Bridge followed her gaze to see Spencer's dark expression.

"Magician?" he muttered, walking over to see. Annie groaned, closing her eyes. Too late. "I _hate_ magicians," he complained loudly. "They're the worst! Con artists, the lot of them! Slight of hand is _not_ magic!" he exclaimed.

"Whoa, someone hit a nerve," Z commented. Bridge tried to speak, but his voice was muffled. "Sorry, don't speak muffled Bridge. Actually, I don't speak Bridge at all," the Yellow Ranger commented as Annie let him go.

"Why don't you like ma-" he stopped when Annie elbowed him. "Uh...them?" he finished weakly.

"Because they're just tricking people into thinking they're doing magic! It's just smoke and mirrors," Spencer exclaimed.

"It's a family thing," Annie explained when they shot her puzzled looks, knowing she'd have the answer. "His mum is exactly the same. Spence, I've told you, not everyone can practice magic," she told her friend, who frowned.

"And I told _you,_ Annie. Anyone can use magic, as long as they believe," he told her firmly.

"Really?" Bridge looked excited.

"Oh god," Annie put a hand to her face.

"Yeah, Bridge, no way are you learning magic," Jack told him. "You and Spencer as you are now are all the weird this team can handle," he said. Bridge deflated, and Annie breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I do not want to go through someone else learning magic. Spencer, Chase and Teddie were bad enough," Annie told him, seeing his expression. " _So_ many explosions," she complained.

"Aw, how cute. Little Spencer trying to learn magic!" Syd smiled.

"Hah. I was never little," Spencer sniffed, turning away.

"I seem to recall many a year when you were shorter than me," Annie smirked.

"Aww!" Syd exclaimed.

"Can we get back to work now?" Spencer groaned.

"I agree," they glanced to Sky, who looked irritated. "We need to find information on where this Mysticon is," he looked up and frowned at them. His gaze rested on Spencer, who frowned.

"Here we go," they glanced to Z. "Benefit for New Tech University Science Centre, featuring 'The Great Mysticon'," she held out a flyer to the others. "I have a bad feeling about this," Z commented as Spencer reached out. Seeing the words 'Magic Show' written on it, Annie swiped it away quickly. It was rare for Spencer to get mad and for her to calm him down, but anything to do with magicians was something that changed the norm for the pair.

"So do I," Kruger nodded. "That's why I'm sending Sam to do some undercover work," he told them.

"Sam? Again?" Sky frowned. "But-"

"Do you have a problem with my decision, Cadet?" Kruger asked him carefully. Sky shook his head and looked away, still frustrated. "Do any of you?" Kruger challenged the rest of the team. Nobody spoke.

* * *

"I don't think this is such a good idea you guys," Z commented as the Rangers walked towards the Science Centre in their normal clothes.

"We'll show Kruger we're just as good as Omega," Sky muttered. "Besides, we're just giving him some backup," he shrugged.

"Right. Backup he didn't ask for, and Kruger didn't assign," Jack pointed out.

"Well, you guys have fun in there," Spencer told them cheerfully, stopping. The others glanced around at him minus Syd, who was looking in another direction.

"You're not coming in?" Jack frowned at him.

"Hell no," Spencer snorted, turning and walking off. "I'll be out here enjoying the sun. Call me if you need me," he called over his shoulder.

"Hey, wait!" Sky called.

"Best just to leave him to it," Annie rolled her eyes. "Better this than him either figuring out how they do it, or throwing a tantrum," she shrugged.

"I'm gonna check over here," Syd told the others. "Uh, you guys go on without me," she walked off.

"Alright. We'll save you a seat," Jack told her as Syd disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Everyone applauded as Mysticon bowed low.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! I am the Great Mysticon, and thank you for donating to the University's Science Program," he spoke, his voice echoing out from the stage. The Rangers sat in the audience, waiting. "Now, for the main event, let the magic begin!" he called. "And now, with a little help from my lovely assistant!" he gestured to the side of the stage, and the Rangers jerked forwards in their seats when Syd walked on stage.

"It's Syd," Z hissed.

"She's gone deep undercover," Sky muttered.

"Let's just hope Sam doesn't realise," Annie put a hand to her face as Mysticon raised a sheet to reveal a chair. Syd took a seat as the Rangers turned their attention back to her. Mysticon covered her in a sheet.

"I didn't know she could do magic," Bridge muttered to the others.

"Abra kadabra!" Mysticon waved his wand, and lifted the sheet to reveal Syd had disappeared. The Rangers clapped slowly as Annie's eyes narrowed. Something more was at play. "Now, for my next illusion, I need a volunteer!" Bridge almost leapt from his seat, raising his hand eagerly. "Perhaps someone who's not quite so eager," Mysticon laughed as Annie pulled Bridge back down.

"We're trying _not_ to raise suspicion, remember?" she hissed to him. He pouted, and she rolled her eyes. "I'll get Spence to turn you invisible afterwards," Annie told Bridge, and he brightened immediately.

"How about you, ma'am?" Mysticon pointed to a woman near the front. "Yes, you, please don't be shy! It's for the university," he reminded her. The woman got to her feet and walked on stage as Mysticon opened a sarcophagus. "And what is your name?" he asked her.

"Doctor Helen Tyler-Jones," she smiled.

"Step right inside for me please Doctor, you'll be fine," Mysticon told her.

* * *

"Grumm has had diamonds stolen, iridium, even sand, but I don't see how this magician fits in," Kat commented to the Commander.

"Don't forget the gold he tried to rob," Kayden spoke up as he scanned the city, making sure that everything was normal. Kruger hummed, wondering just what the plan was, when the communication channels beeped.

"Sam?" he greeted.

" _Mysticon has just pulled a woman named Doctor Helen Tyler-Jones out of the audience, does her name mean anything to you_?" Sam asked. Immediately Kat began searching the database.

"Doctor Helen Tyler-Jones..." Kat frowned and looked around as the woman's information popped up on screen. "Just one of the worlds leading Micro-Biologists," she told them. "But what would Grumm want with her?" she wondered.

"Access, maybe?" Kayden suggested with a shrug.

"Those things he's been stealing, he might just want someone to combine them for his evil purpose. I'll send the other Rangers," Kruger decided.

" _They're already here_ ," Sam replied.

"They're _what_!?" Kruger yelled. Kayden put a hand to his head.

"Oh no," he couldn't help but chuckle.

* * *

"Right this way Doctor," Mysticon encouraged the woman to step into the sarcophagus. "Mind your step," he spoke as she stood inside, looking out nervously. He then closed it over. "I will now tap this container once...twice...three times!" he tapped the sarcophagus with his wand. "And...voilà!" he opened it, and she was gone. Everyone in the audience gasped, and began to applaud.

"That was..." Sky trailed off, not knowing the right words. His Morpher then beeped, and he grabbed it quickly.

' _What the hell is happening in there_?' Spencer demanded.

"He made Syd and some Doctor disappear," Sky hissed as people glared at them. "Probably a back to the container or-"

' _No, it's not! He's using real magic_!' their eyes widened at Spencer's words.

"What? But how?" Sky asked, before looking up as the Magician went to leave.

"Isn't he going to bring the Doctor back?" Jack asked slowly. Before Mysticon could leave the stage, they heard knocking in the sarcophagus, and he froze. Slowly, he opened the door, and found the glowing ball of light.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Sam appeared in his Omega Ranger form.

"Looks like it's show time!" Jack called as Mysticon took off.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and followed Sam and Mysticon to the back, and found him holding onto Syd, who seemed like a lifeless doll.

"Out of the way!" Annie kicked the Krybots out of her path, and they followed Mysticon outside. There, they found Morgana and more Krybots, along with the Doctor.

"Hold it right there!" Sam yelled. They ran to help, and Mysticon turned around.

"Stop them!" he shouted. The Krybots ran forwards, and the Rangers began to fight them off. "You too," he said to Syd, and she ran in, kicking Sky as his back was to her.

"Syd?" he got up and found her attacking him again. "What are you doing?" he dodged her punch.

"I must stop you," her voice was flat and as lifeless as her expression. He grabbed her arms, but her heel slammed into his gut and he was forced to let her go.

"Whoa," there was a flash of light as Spencer landed beside them, immediately forced to dodge Syd's attack. "What did you say to her now Sky?" he asked as they dodged her attacks.

"Not me! That magi-that _guy_ did something to her!" Sky shouted back.

"Then un _do_ it!" Spencer told him.

"Me? Aren't you better suited?" Sky snapped, unable to help himself as he turned and kicked a Krybot into a car.

"What?" Spencer frowned at him.

"You're all close now, aren't you? Clearly someone she likes would do a better job!" Sky ducked under her blow.

" _What_?!" Spencer repeated. "Dude, you have it so wrong," the Gold Ranger raised a shield, and the Krybots fell backwards. "She doesn't _like_ me! We're just teammates, I was just trying to cheer her up! Trust me," Spencer laughed as he easily moved around Syd's attack. "I've been stuck in the room with the girls talking to know who she likes," he shook his head.

"Who she likes?" Sky repeated.

"Oh good grief!" Spencer groaned, grabbing Syd's arms and twisting them behind her back, not tight enough to hurt, but enough to restrain her. "We are _not_ having girl talk, now _snap her out of this_!" he shouted. Sky shook his head quickly and ran over to her.

"Syd! It's me, Sky!" he called, trying to get her to snap out of it.

"I must stop you," she repeated, her eyes flashing red.

"She's under a spell," Spencer realised. "Get her to Morph," he grabbed her Morpher and tossed it to Sky. He grabbed one of her arms, putting the Morpher in her hand and holding it up to her mouth as Spencer was shoved away.

"Just say, SPD, emergency, okay?" Sky asked.

"SPD, emergency, okay?" Syd repeated. She Morphed, and stopped struggling, frowning under her helmet.

"What? Where am I?" she asked, looking around as Sky let her go. A Krybot then tackled him into a car.

"The middle of a fight! You want to help or what?!" he yelled as he shoved the robots back.

"What else is new?" Syd rolled her eyes.

"I hear that!" Spencer got up and crackled his back. "You hit hard, y'know," he told her as he walked past and tossed an energy-ball at the Krybot coming at him. He then grabbed his Morpher, spinning it in his hand. "SPD, EMERGENCY!" he Morphed as well. He then leapt over with Sam as the Krybots tried to pull the doctor away. They grabbed their arms, making sure they released her, and tossed them away.

"Get somewhere safe!" Sam told the doctor, who nodded and took off. Nearby, Syd easily took down Mysticon, who dropped his wand. As he scrambled to get it, Bridge lifted it first.

"I'll take this," he said, only for Spencer to lift it from him.

"Uh, best be careful with magical objects like these. Normally they aren't very nice," he told the Green Ranger.

"Aw..." Bridge frowned. The ground began to shake, and the Rangers looked up to see a robot appear in the city, towering over the buildings.

"Uh oh," Annie frowned as the Runners raced towards the fight.

"Transform to Megazord!" the Rangers combined their Zords, and Sam's Zord changed to his Megazord form.

"We'll go in first Sam!" Jack called. The Megazord rushed at the robot, but as they lashed out, it moved, appearing behind them. "How'd it do that?" he yelled.

"It's really fast!" Spencer frowned as it did it again. As they turned around, the robot struck them hard.

"You cannot capture the Great Mysticon!" he declared with a laugh.

"That's what you think!" Jack yelled. Sam flew it on his robot, spinning repeatedly, but it dodged again and blasted his Megazord as he stood upright again.

"Now! Together!" the Megazords leapt at the robot, only for it to dodge again and let the two collide.

"Watch where you're going!" Sam yelled.

"Me? It wasn't my fault! You should have been following-"

"Guys!" Sky yelled. "Come on, let's rush him, both at once!" he told them.

"Right!" Sam nodded. He changed back to his bike mode, and the Megazord leapt on top. They raced towards the robot, who blocked their blasts with his own. Mysticon laughed loudly as they veered to avoid his attacks.

"We've gotta combine the Megazords!" Bridge called.

"I don't know...are you sure we're ready for this Kat?" Z asked nervously.

" _You've been trained, Rangers. You_ are _ready_!" she told them firmly.

"Kat's right! We've got this!" Spencer called confidently.

" _Deltamax Megazords sequencing initiated_ ," the Rangers cheered.

"Hang on everybody!" Jack called.

"Deltamax Megazord!" the two Megazords combined, forming a more powerful and much faster Megazord.

"Now this thing rocks!" Syd laughed.

" _Remember Rangers, there's a hyperspeed mode that might come in useful_ ," Kat spoke up again.

"Thanks for the reminder Kat!" Sky grinned.

"You don't scare me!" Mysticon shouted.

"We should!" Annie retored as he fired a blast. "Boosters!" they activated the boosters and flew right over the robot's head, taking Mysticon by surprise.

"Hyperspeed!" Sky yelled. They raced towards the robot, and before he could move, they cut through it. "Judgement time!" he activated, and as Mysticon pleaded for mercy, the light flashed red.

"Guilty!"

"Maybe just a little..." Mysticon admitted.

"Full power!" they raced towards the robot again, and punched it repeatedly, destroying the robot.

"You're going down!" the Rangers cheered as Mysticon was contained.

* * *

"You _deliberately_ violated my direct orders!" Kruger snapped, furious at the seven Rangers.

"It was my fault Sir," Jack spoke up. "It was my idea," he admitted to the Commander. "We just wanted to show you that we as good as Rangers as Sam," he said.

"Who said you weren't?" Kruger demanded. "Not me. However, Sam is a very special individual," he told them. Sky rolled his eyes.

"We know that Sir," he said. "It's just you've been spending a lot of time with him-"

"I've been spending a lot of time with him to get him acclimated to this space," Kruger interrupted Sky. "This time. I did this knowing that you were fully confident and self-sustaining. Was I mistaken?" he demanded.

"No Sir!" Bridge said quickly. "It's just that we were a little..."

"Jealous," Syd admitted. She glanced to Spencer, who gave a small smile back. His gaze then moved past her, to Sky, who was keeping his gaze ahead.

"There is no room for jealousy here. You are my Rangers. You are my team. You'll just have to trust that," Kruger told them. "Trust in yourselves! Understood?" he shouted.

"Yes Sir!" they agreed.

"Good. Dismissed," he barked, and the group left the command centre.

"My head still hurts," Syd whined, a hand to her temple.

"Yeah, getting whammied does that to you," Spencer patted her shoulder, before pausing. "Great, I'm turning into my mother," he threw his hands into the air and walked on as Annie laughed at him. Syd frowned after him, not understanding, before shaking her head, deciding she didn't want to.

"Hey Sky, just what happened when I was under that caped freak's control?" Syd asked the Blue Ranger walking beside her.

"Nothing wrong with capes!" they heard Spencer call back to them. "Oh god I _am_ my mother!" he yelled in horror. Annie's laughter only grew.

"Sky?" Syd frowned when didn't answer.

"Uh..." Sky hesitated, thinking back his conversation with Spencer that had mostly been yelled. He was very thankful that the Pink Ranger didn't remember. "You thought you could take me in a fight. Of course, I proved you wrong," he smirked, continuing to walk as Syd's jaw dropped.

"Excuse me? I _so_ could take you in a fight!" she insisted, following him along.

"Yeah, okay Syd," Sky just laughed. She pouted at him, watching as he walked on.

" _You're all close now, aren't you? Clearly someone she likes would do a better job!" Sky ducked under her blow._

" _What?!" Spencer repeated. "Dude, you have it so wrong," the Gold Ranger raised a shield, and the Krybots fell backwards. "She doesn't like me! We're just teammates, I was just trying to cheer her up! Trust me," Spencer laughed as he easily moved around Syd's attack. "I've been stuck in the room with the girls talking to know who she likes," he shook his head._

Syd frowned, watching Sky's retreating back. Her memory was fuzzy, but it was there, and she wondered just what the Blue Ranger meant.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!  
**

 **Please review!**


	20. Hero

**So I'll be babysitting tonight/tomorrow morning, then I'm off to Dublin for New Years, so I decided to get in one more update before the end of the year!  
**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 20: Hero

Humming to himself, Kayden worked on the systems, making sure they were all working up to date.

" _Just a little more time and,_  
 _Just a little less thinking,_  
 _Just a little more time is all that I need_ ," he sang under his breath.

"Urgh, not you too," he glanced around, smiling as Z approached. "Is everyone around here Kira Ford crazy?" she complained.

"Hey Z," he chuckled. "Sorry, I heard Syd singing it the other day, and before that Kira and Ted were singing it, you know, at the picnic?" Z nodded, remembering. "It's been stuck in my head since," he complained. "What brings you here anyway Z?" Kayden asked, changing the subject.

"Annie asked me to check in with you, since you missed training again," Kayden's smile faded and he turned away quickly, trying to focus on the computers.

"Sorry, been swamped in here making sure everything is running for you guys," he said, bringing up another system to take a look.

"Everything alright with you Kay?" Z frowned, seeing his demeanour change. His usual bright attitude had soured.

"Huh?" Kayden glanced around, and grinned again, but she could see it wasn't his usual confident smile. "Oh, yeah, sorry, just pretty busy at the moment, sorry Z," he told her. Z's frown grew.

"Hey," he glanced around at her again when she touched his arm. "If you need to talk, I'm here," she said. Kayden blinked, and smiled at her.

"Thanks Z, appreciate it," he said, looking a little more genuine. Still worried, Z watched as he went back to work, before leaving with a sigh.

"You're worrying the Rangers you know," Kayden didn't look around at Kat's voice.

"They have better things to be concerned about than me missing training," he replied, pressing a couple of buttons.

"Is that why Z was in here checking on you?" his frown grew, but he still didn't look up. "Kayden, you need to talk to us," Kat approached as she spoke gently.

"Why?" Kayden finally looked up at her, frustrated. "I'm not cut out for the field. I gathered that the three times I was mistaken for a punching bag. I'm better off here, where the Rangers won't have to worry about me. Like I said, there are more important things to worry about, like Grumm. Or one of the many other bad guys out there who could turn their sights to this planet," Kat just waited patiently for his tirade to end. "I'm not like them. I'm not meant to be a Ranger," he shook his head and turned away.

"Then why are you mad about that?" he paused at her question. "Clearly you want to be out in the field with the Rangers. Otherwise you'd have brushed it off like you do everything else and moved on," Kat accused. Kayden didn't speak, knowing she was right.

"I...I'm going on break," he turned without looking at her, heading off so quickly he almost mowed Boom down in the process.

"Is he okay?" Boom asked Kat, who sighed heavily.

* * *

"It's just not like him to skip three training sessions," Annie commented, hitting the buttons quickly as her gaze focused on the screen in front of them.

"Maybe he's been swapped by aliens and it's a clone!" Bridge suggested, hitting the buttons on his controller just as hard.

"Bridge, we work for aliens," Annie pointed out dryly.

"Oh yeah," he remembered. "Maybe he's sick?" he tried a more reasonable suggestion. Annie hummed, considering this.

"Come on Sky!" neither looked up, but both heard Syd's plea. The Blue Ranger darted past the rec room, looking stressed.

"For the last time Syd, no!" he shouted back as the Pink Ranger followed, hot on his heels. "I'm not sparring with you to see if you could beat me!" his protests and Syd's pleas faded into the distance.

"She's still trying to prove she can beat him in a fight?" Bridge spoke again, his tongue sticking out slightly in his focus as Annie leaned forwards. "What's that about?" he wondered.

"Maybe she's been cloned by aliens!" Annie laughed, and he smiled in amusement at her teasing. Her laughter died instantly as the game ended, her eyes growing wide as both were silent for a moment.

"I won? I won!" Bridge cheered loudly, throwing his hands in the air.

"I haven't lost a game on this thing since I started at SPD! You cheated!" Annie accused him.

"How?" Bridge laughed, jumping up to do a victory dance. "Admit it Bradley, you finally lost at something," he taunted her. Annie stood up, raising an eyebrow. His victory dance slowed to a stop as he watched her carefully.

"I might have lost at that...but I can still kick your butt!" Bridge ran for the door, and let out a cry when she tackled him to the ground. The doors slid open as they wrestled on the ground, and Jack stepped in, stopping and looking at the two. They stopped, with Bridge looking up, having pinned the Silver Ranger down, as she looked up, seeing him upside down. Jack then opened his mouth to say something, before hearing Syd and Sky in the distance. He then sighed heavily.

"I'm going to find Spencer," he decided, turning and walking off. Getting up, Bridge offered his hand to her, aware he was going red.

"I could totally take you in a real fight," she told him, poking his chest. Bridge's smile widened.

"You sound like Syd," he told her. Annie flushed at the comment, and turned her head, sticking her nose up.

"Rude," she folded her arms.

"Well, I finally beat you, now what?" Bridge asked, glancing to the screen. "Now what?" Annie looked at him again as if he was crazy.

"I get revenge, duh," she told him, making the Green Ranger grin. She walked past to lift the fallen controllers.

"What about instead..." Annie glanced at him. "We go-" before Bridge could finish, the alarm blared and they looked up. Exchanging looks, they hurried out to find out what was going on.

* * *

Kicking a stone out of his way, Kayden heard it collide with a lamp post. The clink of the metal barely registered as he kept walking, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Sometimes I think having Rangers for parents was a curse..." he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Annie and Spence are so unshakeable about the whole thing...and I get my ass handed to me trying to help people," Kayden muttered.

Feeling the ground shake, he looked up to see the Rangers in their Megazord, fighting a robot.

"Come on guys!" Jack called to the team.

"Right!" the Rangers nodded, firing blasts at the robot and knocking it back. Kayden watched, an unpleasant feeling in his stomach.

"Urgh...Kat's right," he admitted, shaking his head and turning, walking away as the robot was destroyed and the criminal inside apprehended.

"Help!" he heard a yell, and looked around in surprise. "Help me!" his eyes locked onto a man hanging from a scaffold high above, which had partly snapped and was hanging by a thread. Kayden's eyes widened as he saw the man's grip weakening. Glancing around, he tensed, and took off, letting his Ninja powers kick in. He streaked up the side of the building as the man's grip slipped, and Kayden caught him, hauling him up to the top of the building.

Both crashed to the ground, rolling along as the man cried out in alarm. Kayden couldn't help but laugh as he pushed himself up, brushing himself off, and turned to the man.

"You alright?" he asked, offering his hand.

"Yeah, thanks," the man nodded, looking shaken. "Thank you," he breathed.

"No problem dude," Kayden nodded with a grin. After making sure the man was unharmed, Kayden headed back out, continuing his walk.

"Kayden!" he glanced around as he saw Z running towards him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Huh? Yeah, fine, why?" he frowned.

"I saw you help that guy, that was incredible," the Yellow Ranger told him, and Kayden flushed. He shrugged, embarrassed.

"It was nothing. You guys would have done the same," he told her modestly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't put yourself down Kayden, you're a hero," Z told him. Kayden's expression changed, and he glanced away. "Okay, you've been getting like that a lot lately. What's up with you?" she asked him.

"It's nothing," he shook his head, turning away. However, Z followed him.

"Hey, you're always giving us pep talks and helping us out, let me repay the favour," she told him. Kayden couldn't help but laugh, and walked over to a low wall, sitting down.

"Alright, if you insist," he accepted, and Z took a seat beside him. "I just...I've been feeling like I'm not cut out for the field lately," Kayden admitted. Z stared at him, confused. "I tried to help Kat and Benag kicked my ass. Same with Sophie, and against Wootox when he swapped bodies with Sky," the young man shook his head.

"And because of that you think you're not cut out to be a Ranger?" Z asked, frowning.

"Maybe?" Kayden shrugged. "It's just...you guys are totally unshakeable! You're incredible. Even A-Squad didn't last as long against Grumm as you guys have," he told her incredulously. Z blushed at the praise.

"And you think that you aren't good enough?" she asked him, shaking it off. Kayden shrugged again. "Kayden, you stood up to the General of Grumm's army! The guy who helped destroy the Commander's planet!" the Yellow Ranger pointed out. "You just saved that guy from falling off a building! Your instinct is to protect people, and if that doesn't make you a hero, I don't know what does," Z told him firmly. Kayden was quiet as he considered this. "You don't think we haven't gotten our butts handed to us? There's a reason Sam came to help us," Kayden couldn't help but laugh.

"You got a point there," he accepted with a nod. "I guess I'm just wondering if I could live up to my parent's rep. Being the kid of Rangers is awesome and all, but it can be a lot of pressure," Kayden admitted, running his hand through his hair.

"I felt the same when the Commander told us our parents worked for SPD," Z nodded. "But you're not them Kay, and nobody expects you to be," she told him. Kayden nodded.

"Thanks Z, maybe you're right," he accepted.

"Of course I'm right," Z looked insulted that he thought otherwise, and he grinned. "So no more skipping training, alright? You're the only one who can keep up with Sky and Annie," she told him.

"You know, I'm not really supposed to be in your training sessions. I'm C-Squad remember?" Kayden pointed out. Z rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, because you didn't want to get elevated," she pointed out. Kayden just shrugged.

"So, while we're sharing," he started. "Any reason why you're avoiding Spencer?" he asked, and Z's eyes widened.

"I'm not..." Z tried weakly, before sighing. "That obvious?" she asked.

"About as subtle as a brick to the face, I'm afraid," Kayden chuckled. "What's up?" he asked. Z sighed heavily, glancing away.

"It's just, at first I thought Spencer was, I guess, kinda cool," she admitted, her cheeks colouring pink. "But now, I just can't keep up with him. Every day he's doing something that isn't...normal. He's got powers coming out of his ears, he's seeing the future, he's not even entirely human!" she explained. Kayden chuckled.

"Yeah, I get that," he agreed. "It takes time to get used to Spence, even more so because he doesn't let people in so easily. You guys are lucky. You're a team; he trusts you enough to share that part of him," he told her.

"I guess. It's just a lot to process," Z grumbled.

"Oh yeah," Kayden nodded. "But you'll get there. Eventually," the Water Ninja chuckled.

"At least we have you there to keep us sane," Z shook her head. Kayden elbowed her and got back to his feet.

"That I am. You definitely need me," he grinned, offering his hand. Z took it, unable to hide her smile. However, it faded when her Morpher beeped as Kayden pulled her to her feet.

"What's up?" she answered.

'Trouble down town!' Jack warned her.

"On my way," Z flipped her Morpher closed and looked to Kayden.

"See you back at base," he dropped her hand with a wink, and she looked down, not having realised he'd been holding onto her hand. With a two-finger salute, Kayden streaked off in a crack of thunder.

"Well, he's not entirely normal," Z considered. "But then again, none of us are," she realised, heading off to the battle.

* * *

By the time Z reached the others, they were engaged in a fight with a group of Krybots, one of which went sailing by Z as she ran towards the fight.

"Whoops, sorry about that!" Annie laughed, raising a hand to Z.

"Sorry I'm late," the Yellow Ranger grinned, and kicked a Krybot back as it rushed her.

"What's with that Z?" Spencer asked as he leapt over her head. His boots landed on the shoulders of a Krybot, forcing it to the ground. "You almost missed the party," he glanced back at her.

"Like I'd miss this," she replied, grabbing her Morpher. "SPD, EMERGENCY!" she Morphed into her Yellow suit and joined in, taking out the Krybots with her blaster. Nearby, Jack, Syd and Sky were fighting the alien who was leading the charge while the others focused on clearing the Krybots.

"Is Kayden alright?" Annie asked as she passed Z to punch a Krybot hard enough to throw it into the side of a car, sparking madly.

"Yeah, he's fine now," Z nodded to her. Annie grinned.

"Good, cause I was getting close to kicking his butt," she said.

"Trying to, you mean," Spencer commented as his energy-ball flew past her head. Annie turned her head to glare at him, but it was useless under her helmet.

"He's got a point. Kayden can take you on in a fight," Bridge commented.

"Yeah, unlike you," Annie retorted, which only made the Green Ranger laugh.

"We'll see," he promised. Spencer glanced at him, an eyebrow raised, before turning and kicking a Krybot back. Annie blasted it, and Bridge took out the last of the footsoldiers, leaving only the alien.

"Uh oh!" she realised that her helpers were gone, and backed up. However, Spencer streaked past and slashed down her back, making her cry out and leaving her open.

"Fire!" Jack fired his Delta Blasters as the others fired their own weapons, striking her repeatedly.

"Judgement Mode!" Spencer flipped his Morpher open as he rejoined the others. The light began to flash, and the alien cried out in horror, looking around desperately for some way out.

"I didn't do it!" she pleaded, but the light flashed red.

"Guilty!" the Rangers chimed.

"Only one thing left to do!" Z called, grabbing the bone. "RIC, catch!" she tossed it into the air, and the robotic canine caught it.

"Canine Cannon!" the Rangers caught RIC as he transformed.

"No!" the alien gasped.

"Oh yeah!" the Rangers called. "Fire!" the alien cried out as they fired a blast that slammed into her, containing her.

* * *

"Seriously dude, why didn't you say anything to us?" Annie punched Kayden's arm as they stood in the Command Centre. He groaned, jerking away from her to rub where she had hit him.

"Yeah Kayden, you could have come to us about this," Spencer nodded, looking a little hurt that he hadn't.

"Guys, come on," Kayden shook his head with a laugh. "You guys have been determined to become Rangers since the Ranger program first started. Hell, since we first found out about our parents," he pointed out. Annie and Spencer exchanged looks. Well, he wasn't wrong. They'd always wanted to be Power Rangers. "I'm not that confident. I never really knew what I wanted to do, until I thought that I wasn't good enough to be a Ranger," he told them.

"Well you are, so-" Annie punched his arm again, and Kayden cried out.

"Come on! That was the same spot!" he complained.

"Next time, talk to us," she told him firmly.

"Yeah yeah," he rolled his eyes, rubbing his arm.

"Okay Annie, you don't want to break his arm before he even joins the team," Spencer grinned in amusement, and turned to Kayden. "Now you just gotta start working towards joining B-Squad," Kayden nodded with a grin of his own, unable to hide his excitement.

"Wow, the first time Kayden's worked hard since joining SPD," Annie taunted.

"Excuse you, did you not see the Commander's ATV? I barely slept for like three weeks making sure it was perfect!" Kayden exclaimed, insulted. Annie and Spencer exchanged grins, and he rolled his eyes. "I hate you two sometimes," he muttered.

"No you don't," Annie sang, and glanced around when Z walked in.

"Hey guys," she greeted with a smile. "Hope Annie hasn't beaten you too hard Kay," the Yellow Ranger commented.

"Rude!" Annie exclaimed as Spencer snorted.

"I can take it," Kayden shrugged, rubbing his arm again.

"Of course," Z nodded, smirking as if she didn't quite believe him. "Spencer, Jack's looking for you, something about you being the only sensible one anymore. Which I find kinda insulting," she considered.

"I am?" Spencer fixed his glasses. "He must be getting desperate. Laters!" he waved to the others and headed out as Annie hid her blush.

"And I'm going to get dinner. I'm starving," Z declared. Annie's elbow slammed into Kayden's stomach as the brunette turned away, and he groaned, almost doubling over.

"Z, uh," Kayden managed to say as she turned around. He shot his cousin a glare. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. Z blinked, surprised, and her blush filled her cheeks before she smiled.

"Sure. Come on," she turned and walked out.

"I was getting to it myself, you didn't need to do that," Kayden hissed to Annie, who just winked. "Oh, just you wait, I'm going to make your life hell," he warned as he left, and Annie just started laughing.

"I think Jack was right. Spence is the only sensible one any more," she mused to herself.

* * *

 **Have a happy new year everyone!**

 **Please review!**


	21. Reflections Part 1

Chapter 21: Reflections Part 1

"One final adjustment to the Hypertransistors and we should be good to go," Kat told Boom and Spencer as they worked on RIC. Kayden watched, his arms folded as they worked, having decided to stand back and let Spencer work on their project instead, since the Gold Ranger had helped rebuild RIC to begin with.

"This is going to be _beyond_ incredible!" Boom was almost bouncing in his excitement. "Oh! Can I do the honours? Please?" he lifted the remote and pleaded with Kat, who rolled her eyes.

"You know, it really should be up to Spencer, you know, since RIC was rebuilt by him," she pointed out.

"I don't mind," Spencer said as he walked back over, checking the information on a tablet. "It wasn't just me anyways, Bridge, Cam and Miko helped," he said.

"Okay, but be careful," Kat relented. Spencer stood back beside Kayden as they all turned to face RIC.

"SPD Battilizer...engage!" Boom activated it. Sparks exploded out from RIC, making them all jump, and his head flew off, skidding to a stop by the Commander's feet. He looked down, humming.

"I see the Battlizer is not quite finished," Kruger commented dryly.

"A temporary setback sir, I'm sure we'll have it fully functional right away," Kat glared at Boom, who nodded quickly.

"See that you do," the Commander nodded, turning and leaving as the others sighed.

"I gotta go. It ismy day off, and Teddie and Chase are in town," Spencer pulled off the goggles he'd been wearing and dropped them into Kayden's hands, laughing to himself as the three continued working on RIC.

* * *

"Man, Kruger picked the best day for our day off," Annie lifted her head to the sun, enjoying the warmth of the day as the Rangers stood in the park.

"Totally," Syd agreed, tossing her the frisbee they were throwing to each other.

"No disasters..." Jack caught it next and moved so Bridge couldn't get it. "No sirens..." with a grin, he threw it to the Green Ranger.

"No talking skeletons," Bridge nodded.

"Huh?" Z frowned. "Whatever," she decided as Sky caught it. He held it out to her, only to pull it back when she reached for it. "I just wish Sam were here to enjoy it," Z finally got it from him and threw it.

"Where is our sparkly friend anyway?" Annie asked as Syd caught the frisbee.

"Kruger sent him to check out a disturbance in the Strata Quadrant," Z explained as Sky caught the frisbee again before she could. "He should be back soon though," she added as Sky tossed it to Jack. As it flew through the air, another figure leapt up and caught it. He then flipped through the air, landing easily.

"Oh, I'd give that an 8/10," Annie nodded to the young man. He winked and tossed it back to her. Wearing a sleeveless hoody and a pair of jeans, he bore a strong resemblance to Spencer, down to his easy smile.

"Only an 8? That was a flawless landing," he complained in his New Zealand accent.

"Yeah, but your flip was sloppy," he glanced around to Spencer as he and Teddie approached.

"Perfectionists," Chase rolled his eyes.

"Hey guys," Jack grinned as he caught the frisbee next. "I hope you've been tormenting him as much as requested," he said to the two younger teens.

"When don't they?" Spencer asked when the frisbee reached him.

"That's mean!" Teddie pouted, and Spencer reached out to mess up her hair, which had been tied in pigtails out of her face. Wearing a pale blue shirt with a pair of shorts and a dark green jacket wrapped around her waist, Teddie seemed to be enjoying the sun as much as the rest of them.

"True though," Chase grinned.

"So where's Sam? Thought he had the day off today," Spencer asked the team.

"Strata Quadrant," they chimed.

"Well wherever he is, I'm sure it's not as nice as New Tech City right now," Sky commented as he grabbed the disk from the air before Z could.

"Sky? Are you actually enjoying yourself?" Syd asked him, eyes glittering in amusement. He rolled his own.

"It's the perfect day!" he exclaimed as the frisbee reached him again. "What's not to enjoy?" the Blue Ranger asked. He tossed it again, higher this time.

"I got it!" Syd called as she reached for it, only for a red light to clip it. Syd jumped back as it turned to green slime, hitting the ground in front of her and narrowly missing her shoes.

"Sorry to horn in on your fun!" they looked around and their eyes widened as a familiar figure approached them with a laugh.

"I thought we already caught this creep," Z frowned.

"We did," Syd frowned, remembering him well. "I still have the bruises," she complained. "It's Rhinix."

"You'll pay for destroying my horn!" the alien yelled furiously, and Syd walked towards him.

"It's you who's going to pay!" she declared, holding up her Morpher. "Let's see what the Judgement Scanner has to say! Judgement mode" she activated it, and it began to flash between the green circle and red cross. It then flashed and remained on the red cross. "Guilty!"

Spencer raised his arm, glancing to the twins behind him.

"You two, out of here," he told Chase and Teddie.

"What? But we can help!" Chase protested.

"I don't doubt it, but I'd rather you leave it to us," Spencer told him. The two groaned, and ran off.

"We'll just have to catch this creep again," Annie cracked her knuckles.

"Let's Ranger up!" Sky called.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"Catch me if you can!" Rhinix goaded, running off as the Rangers Morphed. They chased him through the city, firing blasts at him, but the horned alien dodged, still laughing as he turned a corner. They followed, but when they reached the other side, he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Syd demanded as they looked around.

"Hey-" Bridge was suddenly blasted off his feet by a jettison of water.

"Bridge!" the others turned around as he landed on the ground hard.

"Hello Green Ranger," another familiar figure greeted.

"Hey! I remember you!" Bridge frowned.

"No wait!" Jack stopped him. "Bridge can handle it," he said confidently. They watched as Bridge pushed himself back up. They continued fighting, and this time Bridge gained the upper hand, spinning in the air to counter Hydrax's water jet. He then knocked her to the ground, and the others ran over.

"Nice work Bridge," Annie laughed.

"Thanks," Bridge held up his Morpher as Hyrdrax got back to her feet. "It's judgement time!" he declared. She gasped as it began to judge her. "Based on all the evidence I've gathered, I have absolutely no doubt you'll be found..." the light flashed into a red X.

"Guilty!" the Rangers called.

"That's the Fernovian, Hydrax, the bank robber!" Annie recognised the plant-like alien.

"That's right!" she laughed, and leapt away as they ran over to her. As she disappeared, a loud, nasally laugh echoed through the square.

"Oh no," Z put her hands to her helmet. "Don't tell me..." she pleaded.

The Megazord leapt to the side to dodge Bugglesworth's attacks, before leaping into the air. With a powerful slash, they knocked him back.

"Let's see what the scanner has to say about you!" Z called on the Judgement Mode. Bugglesworth whimpered as the light flashed red.

"Guilty!"

"It's gotta be Bugglesworth!" the Yellow Ranger groaned, looking up.

"You got it!" the whiny voice of Bugglesworth called from the balcony above. With a giggle, he blasted them with bubbles, throwing the group to the ground. "Reunited and it feels so good!" he laughed, turning and rushing off. Getting to her feet, Z leapt up to the balcony, but he was already gone.

"Oh man, he's gone too?!" Z ran over and looked down.

"He's not here either!" Spencer shook his head.

"Oh come on!" Annie's fist hit the ground.

* * *

Regrouping at the SPD base, the Rangers reported what had happened while they were in the park.

"Guys I'm sorry, but until this is sorted you're safer staying with Gram and Grampa," Spencer said down the phone as they waited for Kat to return.

'This sucks. It's your day off Spence!' Teddie complained.

'Yeah, we haven't seen you since the picnic,' Chase called down.

"I know, and we'll hang out after, but right now I gotta make sure everyone's safe. Alright?" Spencer felt guilty for bailing on his brother and sister, but he had a job to do, and they were the only ones who could do it.

'Alright. But you're buying us ice-cream,' Teddie told him firmly.

'And we're going skateboarding,' Chase added. Spencer couldn't help but chuckle at their demands.

"You drive a hard bargain guys, but alright," he agreed, and heard the two cheer. "I gotta go. Laters," he hung up, slipping his phone into his pocket as he rejoined the conversation.

"Maybe they busted out of their containment cards?" Jack suggested.

"Kat said those cards were foolproof, and that there was no chance of escape," Sky shook his head.

"And I was right," they looked around as she hurried back in, carrying the cards in her hands. "They're all still here," she laid out the cards containing Rhinix, Hydrax and Bugglesworth.

"I don't get it," Syd frowned as the three criminals pounded on their cells, trying to escape. "We saw them run around the city," she insisted.

"Yeah, you can't be in two places at the same time!" Bridge nodded. Z then tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well...you can," Bridge glanced from Z to her clone. "But you're one of a kind! Well...two, technically," he glanced to Annie, who waved. "I mean..." Bridge glanced to Z, only to find her clone had vanished.

"This is a very serious problem," Kruger told them as Jack rolled his eyes. "We simply don't have the manpower to recapture every criminal in our files," he reminded them. "I want you to search the city grid for any disturbances," he ordered.

"Jack," Kat called the Red Ranger back as they turned to start working. "I'm going to need your Morpher to upload the new weapon's system," she said.

"No problem Kat," Jack's eyes lit up at the mention, and he handed it over.

"It's gonna be awesome Jack," Spencer called over, before raising an eyebrow. "Kat, you did fix the problem of, you know, the head blowing off?" Jack's eyes went wide at the question. Kat rolled her eyes.

"Of course I did," she told him. "Don't worry Jack, it's completely harmless to you," she insisted.

"Alright, but I'm gonna be real upset if my head blows off," he said slowly. Spencer snickered, turning back to the computer.

"Excellent Kat. We're going to need it when those goons show up," Sky nodded as Jack shot Spencer a glare. The Gold Ranger just smiled innocently back. Sky held his Morpher out to Kat. "You can upgrade mine next," he suggested.

"The technology was designed to work in conjunction with the Red Ranger's Morpher only...sorry Sky," Kat apologised when Sky's smile fell.

"No big deal. I'm sure it'll be amazing Jack," Sky walked off.

"Thanks..." Jack started, and when Sky disappeared out, he sighed and followed.

"I always wondered why only the Reds get the Battilizer," Annie glanced around. Spencer just shrugged in response.

* * *

"You're going to burn out if you do nothing but work, you know," Spencer didn't look up from the tablet he was using. Annie took a seat opposite him with Bridge, both looking at the Gold Ranger.

"Something about these guys just isn't adding up," Spencer told them, eating his lunch while keeping his eyes on the information on the tablet.

"You mean, other than them being criminals we've already caught and locked up?" Bridge asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're getting as bad as her, you know," Spencer told him flatly, finally looking up to raise an eyebrow at the Green Ranger. He just smiled back pleasantly. "No, it's just something about these goons showing up, it's just weird," Spencer shook his head.

"I'd settle for knowing how someone's copying them," Annie said as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"I just want it over and done with soon," Spencer ran a hand through his hair. "This was meant to be our day off," he complained.

"Aw Spence," Annie grinned at him. "You want to hang out with Teddie and Chase! You miss them!" she accused. Spencer snorted, lifting the tablet.

"Like a hole in the head," he said flatly as he hid behind it.

"Wow," he glanced at Bridge. "You're kind of a bad liar," the Empath told him, and with a growl Spencer got up, grabbing his tray and stalking off. "He's surprisingly easy to annoy," Bridge commented to Annie.

"Spence might seem all cool and collected, but you just gotta know the right buttons to push," she told him, biting into her apple. "What about you Bridge? Any other Bridge's running around?" she asked with a grin.

"Nope! Just me," he shook his head. "What about you?" he asked.

"Probably for the best. I don't think the world could handle the risk of them being as weird as you," Annie told him, smirking as he blinked, looking confused, before she nodded. "I have a little brother, Miles. He's only 10," she said, before laughing. "And totally like my dad. My mum gets so mad, cause we both took after dad way more," Annie pushed her hair from her face.

"I'd have thought the world wouldn't be able to handle more than one of you, you know, with how mean you are," Annie frowned at Bridge as he grinned.

"Rude!" she exclaimed.

"You started it," Bridge told her, unapologetic.

"And I'll finish it!" she exclaimed.

"Remember I beat you the last time," he reminded her.

"You got lucky, it won't happen again," Annie warned him, poking him. "I'll kick your butt anytime, anywhere," she challenged.

"How about on-"

'Rangers to the Command Centre,' the pair looked up as Kat's voice echoed through the base.

"Sky must be back," Bridge was up and rushing out as Annie blinked at him rapidly.

* * *

The Rangers considered what Sky reported, having interrogated a dangerous criminal imprisoned in another station.

"A copycat criminal. That makes perfect sense," Z agreed as she and Jack walked over to Sky.

"So all we gotta do is catch this Slate guy and we're golden," Jack nodded.

"I'm Golden," Spencer called as he scanned the city. "But the rest of you will be good," he glanced over to grin.

"Do you ever stop making those jokes?" Z asked.

"Never," Kayden responded as he passed her.

"Excellent job Tate," Kruger nodded his approval. "You didn't fall prey to Mirlok's tricks," he praised.

"Wasn't a problem Sir, just kept focused on the task at hand," Sky nodded.

"Jack!" he glanced over as Bridge called him.

"We got a problem," Annie folded her arms.

"Hey, that's that guy," Jack frowned as they walked over, seeing the footage on the screen. "The one your parents knew," he remembered.

"Zurgane. This guy's even copying him now?" Spencer adjusted his glasses as they slid down his nose. "We need to take him out before he goes for someone even more dangerous," he said to the others.

"Why would he want to copy Zurgane? He's totally ugly!" Bridge exclaimed. "Plus if I remember correctly, he has really bad breath," he added. Spencer arched an eyebrow at Annie, who shrugged.

"It's gotta be Slate. No way he got out," Z determined.

"This time we got his number. Let's bag this copycat!" Jack told his team. They nodded, hurrying out.

* * *

The Rangers sped to the co-ordinates where Slate was causing mayhem, finding him leaping through the wreckage of a building. They leapt through the air, landing nearby.

"We've had enough of your games!" Jack yelled at him as he turned to them in surprise. "You're nothing but a big fake!" the Red Ranger shouted at him.

"And just who am I?" Slate asked in Zurgane's low, scratchy voice. "Am I Zurgane?" he threw out his arms and changed forms. "Or Bugglesworth?" he asked in the irritating voice that made Z yell in frustration. "Or maybe I'm..." he changed again. "The Fernovian bank robber Hydrax!" Slate laughed as Bridge frowned. "Or I could be..." changing once again, he took on the appearance of the green, horned alien. "The dreaded Rhinix!" he laughed when Syd let out an annoyed cry. "Perhaps I'm General Tomars?" he changed into the Dimension Jumper.

"At this point, I don't care!" Jack ran at him and threw a punch. With a laugh, Slate turned to what looked like black ink and dropped to the ground, moving quickly away from his attacker.

"Meet your true enemy!" he reformed in what seemed to be his true form. "Slate! The master of disguise!" he introduced himself.

"You've got some serious identity issues pal," Z told him.

"I'm all of Grumm's warriors rolled into one! How pleased he'll be when I destroy you once and for all!" Slate laughed, ignoring her comment. He then rushed at them, flipping through the air and attacking. The Rangers attacked, but he was fast and strong, tossing Bridge into some crates before kicking Spencer into Sky. The two tumbled to the ground, before Jack caught him, and Syd and Z kicked him to the ground. "Okay, you got a couple of lucky hits! But I know the one creature, you won't be so happy to see!" he then changed again. "Devastation is back!" he declared.

"Oh man, him?" Spencer groaned as he pushed himself up.

"Fury Circle!" he raised his hand, and the light shone under the Rangers. Lightning struck down and they cried as they were drained of their energy.

"You know what to do!" Sky yelled. The Rangers blasted the circle underneath them, turning it purple.

"It's working," Syd smiled, and the circle shattered.

"No!" Devastation cried out in horror.

"Let's get him!" the Rangers fired multiple blasts, and Slate hit the ground, forced to return to his normal appearance.

"You're not supposed to beat my superior genius!" Slate cried out.

"You're not that smart," Bridge told him.

"And you forgot one key detail about those goons you're impersonating," Spencer told him, and grinned. "We beat every single one of them," the Gold Ranger pointed out.

"You're just a weak imitation!" Sky scoffed. Slate leapt to his feet.

"I'll show you who's weak!" he leapt over their heads, and when they looked around, they found a robot rushing through the city. Slate laughed loudly as he piloted it.

"Kat! Send the Runners!" Jack requested.

'On their way,' she responded. Before long, the Zords were racing through the city, their sirens blaring, and the Rangers formed the Megazord.

"You'll never take me in!" Slate declared. The Rangers caught his punch, and flipped him through the air. They the went over, restraining the robot, and when Slate struggled, his robot began to spark dangerously. "I'm overloading!" he cried in horrror.

"Slate, you are accused of numerous crimes, including identity theft," Jack called as they got up and activated Judgement Mode.

"Can't you guys take a joke?" he gulped nervously.

"Guilty!" the Rangers echoed when the light flashed red.

"Guess not!" Slate cried.

"Ready!"

"Fire!" they blasted his robot, and it exploded, throwing him from it.

"I don't believe it!" he cried out as he struggled to get up. The Rangers landed nearby, facing him. "What are you going to do with me?" Slate asked as he jumped up and stretched, falling into a fighting stance.

"You and all your identities are going away for a long time!" Jack grabbed his Morpher. However, as he went to confine slate, a purple light caught his wrist, knocking his Morpher from his hand as he cried out in pain. "Watch it!" he warned his team.

"Morgana!" Z scowled when she saw the attacker.

"I don't think so Ranger boy," Morgana smirked as she approached. "Grumm has a little present for Slate!" she summoned a purple orb of energy, and threw it at Slate. He screamed, and transformed into Devastation again.

"Alright!" he laughed, before multiple others split from him, forming the other criminals he'd replicated.

"Oh great!"

"Not again!"

"This is fantastic!"

"Take about deja-vu!"

"It's show time!" Devastation laughed.

"Oh man," Jack gulped. Morgana smirked as she stood with them, and the Rangers fell into their fighting stances.

"Attack!" Morgana yelled, and the fighting resumed. While Z fought Bugglesworth and Bridge took on Hydrax, Jack faced Devasation and Sky was against Tomars, leaving Spencer to fight Zurgane and Annie fought against Morgana.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Morgana taunted as she blocked Annie's kick.

"So they say. But then again, only old people call me that," Morgana's expression darkened and Annie smirked. Clearly she'd struck a nerve. She bent backwards, her hands touching the ground, to avoid Morgana's angry blast of power, and pushed up, kicking her wrist up. It snapped up and Morgana cried out as Annie spun, kicking her repeatedly before Annie pushed to jump up, her boots slamming into Morgana's chest and throwing her backwards. "Getting slow in your old age?" she mocked. Morgana let out a furious shriek.

Nearby, Spencer wasn't faring as well, slamming into a car hard and sinking down.

"Oh man, I'm going to be sore after this," he muttered, getting back to his feet and rolling under Zurgane's swing. Jumping up, he threw an energy-ball, but it was batted aside, and he raised a shield to block the swing that was coming for him. "If Chase thinks I'm getting on a board after this, he is mistaken," he muttered, pushing forwards to punch Zurgane.

Nearby, Kruger raced into view on his ATV, blasting Devastation before he could hurt Jack.

"No dogs allowed!" Devastation blasted at Kruger, who dodged easily on his vehicle. He then leapt off, joining in the fight. However Devastation was powerful, and before long, the Rangers were all on the ground. Morgana blasted Annie, catching her full on, and the Silver Ranger screamed as she hit a car hard and bounced off, landing face down.

"Good work my friends," Morgana smirked as they stood together.

"Hey Jack...how about trying out your new toy?" Spencer asked as he rolled onto his back.

"I hear that!" Jack grinned. "Let's go RIC!" there was a loud bark as the dog rushed into view. "SPD, BATTILIZER!" Jack called. RIC transformed, and part of him connected to Jack's Morpher. "Activate Battilizer! Cyber Mode complete!" with a sword in his hand, Jack grinned. "Yeah! Now we're talking!" the Red Ranger smirked. His suit had changed, with silver armour on his arms and legs. "Give it all you got!" Jack grinned.

"Boys and their toys," Morgana looked unimpressed. "Get him!" she ordered. Jack raced to meet them, easily fighting them all off at the same time.

"Okay...that's kinda awesome..." Annie groaned as they watched Jack easily dodge Devastation's attacks and take out the tyres Rhinix threw his way. Grabbing his sword again, he floored them and deflected Morgana's attacks. When Zurgane and Tomars rushed him, he evaded their grasps and kicked Zurgane hard, slamming him to the ground. Without waiting, he then did the same to Tomars, and dodged Morgana's attacks.

"Hey!" she gasped when he kicked a car at her at high-speed. She leapt up, barely able to dodge it in time.

"Battilizer! Sonic Mode!" Jack and RIC combined completely, giving Jack jets on his back. "Battizer Mode 2, complete!" he flew through the air, and Morgana rolled out of his way.

"You don't scare me!" Morgana scoffed, summoning another blast to throw at him. Jack let out a surprised cry, and dodged each attack she threw at him.

"Hah! Fire!" he blasted her, and Morgana cried out as she was tossed into a pile of tyres.

"Everyone okay?" Kruger asked as the others got to their feet.

"Time to get rid of you freaks," Jack called as Slate's identities stood together. "Battilizer! Full power! Fire!" with his sword, he swung powerful blasts that slammed into them all, and they collapsed as Jack landed. Where they had been standing, Slate's containment card landed on the ground.

"Nice work Jack!" Kruger nodded as the Rangers cheered. Morgana stumbled as she got to her feet, glaring angrily at Jack.

"Want some more?" he challenged, seeing her expression. With a growl, she turned and walked away, disappearing in a flash of purple. "Didn't think so," Jack smirked.

* * *

"Hey Teddie," Chase called as he slowed to a stop, kicking his board into his hands. "I think Spencer's already an old man, check it out," he grinned, indicating to where their brother was rubbing his back.

"I figured he already was with his attitude," Teddie said as she stood beside him, handing him an ice cream.

"Hey, I can hear you, you know," Spencer shot them frowns. "I can easily go back to work and file my report instead, if you want," he threatened, but all it did was serve to make them laugh more.

"Easy bro," Chase grinned at him. His smile was as easy going as their dad's, and made Spencer sigh. "Just relax for once," he told him.

"Yeah, yeah," he shook his head. "You've gotten good on that board of yours," Spencer commented.

"It's all he does," Teddie smirked as she took a seat on the bench, letting her feet swing. "Well, that and pick up girls," she giggled.

"Can't help it if the ladies like a guy who's good on his board," Chase shrugged, unashamed.

"Hey Spence," Teddie quickly changed the subject, to the Gold Ranger's relief. "What's it like being a Ranger?" she asked curiously.

"At the moment, sore," Spencer admitted, rubbing his back again. "But worth it," he added as Teddie and Chase exchanged amused grins. "Why? You interested in joining SPD?" he asked. Teddie quickly shook her head, and Chase looked horrified, to Spencer's amusement.

"You're the hero of our generation Spence, not us," Chase told him.

"You could be if you focused," Spencer replied.

"No thanks," Teddie told him firmly. "I couldn't handle the uniforms and-"

"Authority?" Spencer finished for her. Teddie flushed.

"All those codes and stuff, it's too...formal for my liking," she shrugged. "Plus, it would eat into Chase's time, and he needs that to pick up girls," Teddie smirked at her brother.

"She's not wrong," Chase, once again, didn't look the least bit ashamed. Spencer shook his head with a grin. "What about you? Any cute girls in your team?" he asked.

"None your age," Spencer told him, and stretched as Chase grinned. "And from what I've gathered, all taken at this point," he snorted.

"What? Even Annie?" he paused as he realised his slip. "Cute!" Teddie giggled.

"Yeah well...don't tell her I said anything," Spencer groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Come on, I do want to see Grams and Grampa before you guys head off," he told the two, getting to his feet.

"Oh! Then you can treat us to dinner!" Teddie suggested, hugging her brother's arm.

"Oh, how kind of you," Chase dropped his skateboard and skated alongside the two. Spencer snorted, fixing his glasses.

"Dream on," he told the two, who started laughing.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	22. Reflections Part 2

**Hope you enjoy it!  
**

* * *

Chapter 22: Reflections Part 2

Biting into a granola bar that hung from his mouth as he typed on the keyboard, Spencer studied the screens to find any sign of Mirlok.

"Ew, gross," Z commented as she saw it hanging from his mouth as she walked in. He glanced over and shrugged. "Are you sure we'll get used to him?" she glanced to Kayden, who looked up from his tablet. He met Spencer's confused gaze, and grinned.

"Eventually. Dude, food," he gestured to the bar, and Spencer grabbed it, going red. Kayden then winked to Z, whose cheeks flushed. The man somehow always managed to fluster her lately, since they'd started spending a lot of time together.

"Any sign?" Z cleared her throat and looked over at Spencer again. He pretended not to notice her red face, turning back to the computer as he chewed.

"Nothing yet. But the minute he does, we'll catch the creep," Spencer said once he'd swallowed the mouthful.

"I hope Sky's okay," Syd spoke from across the Command Centre.

"Dude'll blame himself for a while," Annie patted her shoulder. "But we just gotta keep looking. Once we find Mirlok, we'll put him back where he belongs," she said confidently.

"I've issued a full points bulletin for Mirlok," Kruger told them as they approached him.

"Unfortunately with his ability to transport through reflective surfaces, he's going to be very tough to find," Kat warned.

"Well he can't hide forever," Jack said confidently.

"Well, technically, he can," Bridge pointed out. "Like, in a...in a puddle of water, or tin foil, or like a-" Annie clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Thank you," Z sighed.

"I'm sure Sky thinks this is all his fault," Syd commented softly.

"Mirlok is crafty...but to play on Cadet Tate's emotions like that was particularly underhanded," Kruger shook his head.

"It's just wrong," Spencer folded his arms. "But unfortunately evil doesn't really know any boundaries," he muttered.

"Commander!" they glanced around as Sky suddenly stormed in, furious. "You should have told me about Mirlok and my father!" he yelled angrily at the Sirian. The others exchanged confused looks. Kruger glanced to Kat, who shrugged.

"I didn't say anything," she defended, looking to Kayden. Sensing her gaze, he looked up.

"Don't look at me, I don't have a clue what you're on about. I didn't look at the file," he defended.

"I didn't feel it was in your best interest at the time," Kruger told Sky when he turned back to him.

"You're probably right," Sky agreed, but still looked furious. "The fact is, I blew it. I like my feelings get the best of me and Mirlok got away. I should be demoted back to D-Squad," he said bitterly. The Rangers' eyes widened in shock.

"Sky!" Syd started, but Spencer stopped her, shaking his head.

"That's the decision for your team-leader," Kruger looked to Jack. The young man stepped in front of Sky, looking unimpressed.

"You told me your father fought to the end. And now you want to quit because you messed up once?!" Jack shouted at him. Sky's eyes widened at his words. "I guess that you're not much like your father after all," he scoffed. For a moment, the others thought Sky might strike him, before the Blue Ranger deflated.

"I say we split up. Hit the streets," he said. Jack nodded.

"Alright. You and Syd, take the city plaza," he instructed. "Bridge, you and Z take New Tech Centre. Spencer, you and Annie cover the edge of town," Jack glanced to the Gold and Silver Rangers, who nodded.

"I'd like to help too," they all looked around as a glowing orb floated in.

"Sam, you're back," Z smiled.

"I sent for him," Kat told them. "You're going to need all the help you can get," she said.

"Kat debriefed me about Mirlok. I'm ready to go," Sam said confidently.

"Good timing. Sam and I'll take the west side," Jack decided.

"Excellent," they looked to their Commander. "All of you be careful," he told them.

"Yes sir!" they hurried out to their vehicles and took off.

* * *

"Any sign Spence?" Annie called as she and Spencer raced through town on their bikes. He slowed to a stop, flipping the visor on his helmet up to look around.

"Nothing. You?" he called as she stopped nearby.

"Not a thing. This really is like searching for a needle in a haystack," Annie complained.

"More like a specific needle in a pile of needles," Spencer told her.

"Shut up," he grinned at her irritated tone. Spencer took another look around, but as he flipped his visor down, he was hit by an image flashing in his mind.

 _"This isn't a taxi! Get out!" Z shouted as she forced the jeep to a stop. She and Bridge leapt out, falling into their fighting stances as Mirlok appeared from the mirror in the car._

 _"Hello kiddies! Looking for me?" he asked._

 _"As a matter of fact, we are," Z growled at him._

 _"Then I'm pleased I made your search a short one!" his words made them frown. "Come along little Rangers!" he laughed. There was a flash of light, and the two Rangers cried out as they vanished._

"What the hell?" Spencer jerked, almost falling off his bike as his vision spun. "Annie! You there?" he called.

'What's up?" she responded.

"Another vision thing," he warned.

"What? What was-hold on, that's-stop!" he heard her yell, before static buzzed in his ear.

"Annie? Dammit!" Spencer groaned when there was no response. He got off his bike, pulling off his helmet as he grabbed for his Morpher.

* * *

"Commander!" Kat spun around as an alarm blared in the Command Centre. "I've lost the signal on Delgado and Carson," she announced.

"And Annie too!" Kayden called when he saw the silver signature disappear too.

"Something's wrong," Kruger growled. "I'll check with the others," he said. As he went to open the communication, one came through.

" _Commander_ ," Spencer's voice crackled through.

"Spencer, has there been trouble on your end? We've lost the signal for-"

" _Bridge, Z and Annie, right_?" Kayden and Kat glanced to the Commander. " _I...saw Bridge and Z getting taken by Mirlok, and I think Annie was about to confront him when he got her too_ ," he explained.

"Regroup. He's trying to pick you off one-by-one. I'll get in contact with the others," Kruger ordered.

"Yes sir," Spencer ended the communication, and Kruger sighed.

* * *

Streaking through the city, Spencer reached the park where Syd and Sky had been investigating.

"You know Sky, it wasn't your fault," Syd told the Blue Ranger as they walked along the path.

"Yes it was Syd. Don't try to make me feel less guilty," Sky replied, not looking at her as he quickened his pace. She rolled her eyes and sped up to keep up with him.

"No it's not. Mirlok was cruel to play you like that. It's him who's to blame. Not you," she told him firmly. Sky didn't reply, and Syd sighed.

"Thanks," she almost missed his quiet word, which made her smile. Sky glanced to her and looked away as quickly, his cheeks warming as he saw her smile. They walked along the bridge, and when Sky's Morpher beeped, he turned away to answer it as Syd checked her reflection in the water.

"Do you think I should go brunette?" she wondered, and her reflection warped to Mirlok.

"Syd, watch out!" Sky turned to see, and grabbed her close, pulling her away as Mirlok laughed and appeared in front of them. Spencer reached them, his eyes widening.

"Guys no, get away from-" before he could warn them, Mirlok opened the panels on his chest, and the two disappeared in a flash of light.

"Oh? Another for my collection," Mirlok turned to Spencer as he cursed.

"Not a chance," Spencer hated to do it, but he only had one chance. Performing a series of hand gestures, he thrust down, and a cloud of smoke exploded around him. When it cleared, Mirlok found that he was gone. Undeterred, he disappeared back into the reflection of the water.

* * *

Spencer looked up as Kruger, Jack and Sam returned to base as well. After Syd and Sky had disappeared, the Commander had gone to retrieve the other two himself, saving them from the same fate as the others.

"Report," he called as he walked in.

"No trace of them at all," Kat shook her head. "And no response from their Morphers," she added.

"Spencer, you said you saw Bridge and Z being taken by Mirlok," Kruger turned to him. "How did he do it?" he asked.

"To be honest, I'm not too sure," Spencer shook his head. "It was another vision sir," he admitted.

"You're still getting those?" Jack asked with a frown.

"I don't know how to control them," Spencer shrugged helplessly. Bridge had tried to help him, but it seemed that however Bridge got visions, was completely different to how Spencer did. "Mirlok, he seemed to open a plate on his chest. It was the same with how he took Syd and Sky. He opened the plate, and they seemed to vanish in a flash of light," the Gold Ranger explained, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm heading back out there," Jack decided, turning to leave. He didn't like the idea of waiting around for his friends to show up.

"No!" Kruger barked at him. "Sam, he'll have a harder time detecting you in your light form, head back out there," the Commander ordered.

"Yes sir," Sam changed forms and floated out as Jack walked back in.

"We'll find them Jack," Spencer told him confidently. Jack sighed, standing beside him as they began to scan for any sign of their friends.

* * *

The alarm blaring snapped Spencer and Jack from their focus. They looked up, having been deep in thought about tracking down their friends.

"The city is under attack," Kat glanced to Kruger.

"We can't send out the Megazord without the other Rangers," he told her.

"I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind if I borrowed his Omegamax Cycle?" Jack suggested.

"Do it!" Kruger nodded.

"I'll bring it online," Kat began to work.

"And I'll help as best I can from my Runner," Spencer nodded. The two stood together, grabbing their Morphers.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the two Morphed and headed to the Zords, taking off into the city.

'Careful Jack, you're not used to that kinda speed,' Kat warned.

"I think I can handle it!" Jack replied confidently as he raced through the city towards the giant robot. Spencer flew through the sky above, and the robot turned to see them. Before it could react, Jack slammed into it, and he flew through the air. Spencer then clipped him with his jet, and the robot crashed to the ground. "Megazord mode!" Jack changed the formation and faced the robot. Summoning their swords, the two began to fight.

"Jack!" Spencer called as he flew by, pelting the robot with blasts. "It's a Blue-Head!" he warned.

"No surprise Grumm's in on this," Jack scowled. He cried out as the Megazord was blasted to the ground, and the robot approached. Before he could finish the Omegamax Megazord, Spencer flew by again, blasting him and throwing him back. Jack then got back to his feet and punched the robot hard enough to throw it back. Changing modes, he raced towards the robot and flew into the air. "Omegamax, Spin Out!" spinning through the air, Jack cut through the robot and destroyed it. "I'm glad that's over," Jack chuckled.

"Watch out!" they looked down at Sam's warning, and spotted Mirlok on the ground. Before they could stop him, he'd opened the chest plates, and Jack disappeared in a flash of light.

"What happened?" Spencer called.

"I get it!" Sam shouted. "His two mirrors make an infinite reflection that traps people inside!" he warned Spencer. "I've got to break them out!" he growled.

"Shatter the mirrors!" Spencer suggested, leaping from his Runner. He and Sam stood together, facing Mirlok.

"Welcome," the alien chuckled.

"Alright Mirlok! Let them go!" Sam yelled.

"Or we'll make you," Spencer added.

"Ah yes, the little boy from before who couldn't save his friends," Mirlok taunted, making Spencer bristle. "And you seem to know who I am, but I've never met you," Mirlok commented as he turned to Sam.

"Then let me introduce myself! I'm the one who's gonna send you back to prison, with Spencer's help," he declared.

"And just who is this new Ranger who thinks he can fight me?" Mirlok laughed, unimpressed.

"I'm the Force from the Future! SPD Omega Ranger!" Sam declared.

"A Ranger from the future? What a prize! And you, from what I hear, you're quite the collectible yourself, son of the Legendary Golden Warrior," Mirlok taunted the two. "No wonder Grumm wants to capture you!" he laughed.

"You've got it wrong! It's you who's coming with us!" Sam declared.

"Oh yeah!" Spencer nodded. "I'm no collectible, and I'll show you just how tough I am!" he fell into a fighting stance.

"Now let our friends go!" Sam ordered.

"Why don't you come and get them?" Mirlok challenged.

"No problem!" the two ran to him and attacked Mirlok, who grabbed a sword and struck them hard.

"You're nothing special," he scoffed. Sam leapt into the air and attacked as Spencer ran at him, but the two were thrown back again. "It's over Rangers!" Mirlok told them. Spencer raised a shield, blocking it.

"It's over when we say it is!" he shouted.

"Omega Morpher!" he moved as Sam activated his Morpher. "Electro Mode!" Mirlok laughed, and as the blast moved towards him, Mirlok vanished into the window nearby.

"Nice try!" he taunted.

"Coward! Show yourself!" Sam yelled.

"Look at your fate!" Mirlok appeared in the window, before showing the other Rangers.

"We've gotta figure out how to get them out of there," Spencer glanced to Sam.

"It's time to join your friends!" Mirlok appeared again.

"That's not gonna happen! Come and face me!" Sam challenged. Mirlok then appeared from the visor of Spencer's helmet. He punched Spencer hard, and blasted him, making the Gold Ranger cry out as he was thrown to the ground, demorphing.

"Spencer!" Sam cried out, but Mirlok turned to him and grabbed his arm, restraining him.

"Sam!" the Rangers called from their prison.

"Sam, grab his chest!" Spencer yelled.

"What? Oh, right!" Sam nodded. His Morpher flashed, and he grabbed Mirlok's wrist, flipping him.

"What?!" Mirlok snarled as Spencer lit up a ball of energy.

"Reflect this!" he hurled it just as Sam pulled open the mirrors, and it slammed into them, shattering them on impact. Mirlok was hurled back by the shockwave that threw Sam and Spencer to the ground. The window nearby shone, and the other Rangers were ejected from their prison, landing on the ground. Nearby, Sam's Megazord landed hard too, shaking the ground.

"You guys okay?" Sam asked, glancing around as the Rangers as they got up and ran over.

"Yeah!" Jack nodded. Mirlok groaned weakly, trying to push himself back up. "Let's capture this clown, once and for all," he told them.

"Foolish Rangers! Don't you realise, if you catch me, I'll only escape again! Ask him!" Mirlok pointed to Sky. "He's worthless! Just like his father was!" he scoffed as Sky looked down, guilt welling up inside him.

"That's just the lowest!" Syd snapped at him angrily. "Sky's dad was an amazing Ranger!" she defended.

"Yeah, and so's he! He's the best!" Bridge added.

"Sky's part of our team and we're happy with that," Spencer said, a hand to his chest.

"Right! We're all proud to fight by his side," Z agreed.

"We'd never have made it as far as we have now without him," Annie nodded as Sky stared at them, his blue eyes wide.

"Touching, but he doesn't have what it takes to defeat me," Mirlok taunted.

"We'll see about that," Jack said, and looked to Sky. He grabbed his Morpher, and held it out to the blonde. "Here. Take it," he offered, making Sky frown.

"What?" he didn't understand what their leader was doing.

"It only seems right that you bring him in," Jack told him, grinning. "Do it for your father," he said.

"You sure?" Sky asked, uncertain.

"Go for it," Jack nodded. Sky stared at him, hesitating, before taking it and walking forwards. Mirlok frowned.

"This one's for you, dad," Sky spoke quietly. "SPD, EMERGENCY!" he Morphed into the Red Ranger suit. The alien opposite him rolled his eyes.

"I don't care what colour you are. You're going down!" he declared.

"I don't think so! SPD BATTILIZER!" he called on RIC and the two began to fight, but Sky had the clear advantage. "Battilizer! Sonic Mode!" RIC combined with him, and he raised the red sword.

"What?!" Mirlok gulped.

"Fire!" Sky swung a powerful blast with the sword, hitting Mirlok hard. The alien cried out, collapsing in the explosion that trapped him within the containment card.

"I will escape again!" Mirlok warned.

"Power down!" Sky demorphed, unable to hide his smile as the others ran over, cheering for their friend.

* * *

"Mirlok is being jettisoned to the containment facility on Verinox 12," Kat announced with a smile.

"Perfect," Bridge nodded. "There's not a ray of sunlight on that planet," he explained.

"Hence, no reflections," Syd realised.

"So no chance for him to escape," Z nodded.

"Good work Rangers. And...Sky..I apologise, for not filling you in on all the details," Kruger apologised to Sky. "You are a fine Ranger. And I will not make that mistake again," he told the young man, who smiled softly.

"Thank you sir," Sky nodded.

"Let me guess, you had something to do with that?" Annie glanced to Kat, who just smiled mysteriously.

"You guys should hear it sometime, it's so funny when she-ow!" Kayden yelped when Kat pinched his arm. "Never mind," he cleared his throat.

Dismissed, the Rangers walked through the base, and Spencer rubbed his chest again.

"Not gonna heal it?" Jack asked, noticing the action.

"I try not to unless it's bad," Spencer frowned.

"Or Syd," Z spoke up with a grin. Spencer gave a mocking laugh.

"Yeah Spence, can you heal this?" Syd joined in, pointing to the faintest mark on her cheek. "I don't want it to scar," she pouted. Spencer groaned, putting a hand to his face.

"Oh! And this!" Bridge pulled up his sleeve to show a bruise.

"Hey, I want this healed then!" Annie joined in, as did Jack and Z, tormenting the irritated Gold Ranger.

"I'm not your personal med kit!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah guys, you shouldn't pressure him for such minor things," Sky scolded the team, and they looked to him. He then smirked, mischief in his eyes. "But this could probably use some attention," he pulled up his trouser leg slightly to show the cut across his shin. Spencer let out a frustrated yell as the others started to laugh, following him as he rushed off. "Hey, Syd," Sky caught the Pink Ranger, who stopped and turned to him, still smiling. "Thanks. For, you know, trying to cheer me up earlier. And for what you said against Mirlok," he glanced away, blushing again as she watched him.

"No problem Sky, I meant it," Syd smiled at him. Sky's cheeks burned even warmer, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Thanks," Sky repeated, and winced at how lame he sounded. Syd's smile faded, and she rolled her eyes. When she sighed, Sky frowned, managing to look at her, wondering just how he'd annoyed her. When he did look at her, his eyes widened as she stepped closer and kissed him.

"Idiot," she muttered when she pulled away, her cheeks going red.

"Syd...I..." Sky didn't know what to say. Going even redder, she stepped back, but he caught her arm quickly. Pulling her back in, he kissed her again. This time more gentle and less awkward as both responded, they remained together until they heard a snort. Pulling away quickly, Sky looked up and Syd whirled around as they found spectators in the form of the rest of their team, with Bridge's hand over Annie's mouth as she laughed.

"So, who bet on Syd making the first move?" Jack asked casually. Spencer raised his hand, as did Bridge.

"Come on, we'd be old by the time Sky thought to," Spencer grinned, and glanced to Sky. "Sorry dude," he apologised, but didn't look very apologetic. Sky glanced to Syd, who he was still holding close, and she looked up at him, her eyebrow raised.

"Run!" the others took off as the pair started chasing after them, all of them laughing.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	23. Sabotage

Chapter 23: Sabotage

Falling onto the sofa in the rec room, Jack groaned as he stretched.

"Man, that was rough," he complained to the others as they joined him, looking just as tired.

"I hear that," Spencer fell into a seat as well, a bruise across his cheek. "Sorry Annie, no way am I getting out on the track later," he called to the Silver Ranger, who was slumped over at the table.

"No complaints from me," her voice was muffled as she didn't lift her head.

"Are you all really that tired?" they all looked up with glares at Sam as he floated in. "It wasn't that bad a battle," he told them cheerfully.

"You're lucky you're a ball of light right now," Z muttered irritably.

"Yeah...and all the way over there," Syd leaned against Sky, who glanced down in surprise for a moment before relaxing. He still wasn't entirely used to her affections. Sam just laughed, floating around the room.

"I ever say I hate kids?" Sky asked, swatting at Sam as he flew past.

"You know I'm older than you, right?" Sam asked him, still laughing.

"Not in our present time, you're not," the Blue Ranger retorted.

"Spencer...throw something at him," Syd whined at him. Spencer cracked an eye open and started to lift an arm, before giving up and dropping it as quickly.

"Too much effort to aim..." he complained.

"You're all lazy," Sam teased, floating out of the room.

"Says the guy who floats around instead of walking," Annie grumbled. "Hey Bridge, you're weirdly quiet," she nudged the Green Ranger beside her, opening her eyes. She frowned when she found him pressing his fingers to his temples, his eyes closed. "Hey, you alright?" she asked, sitting up properly.

"Huh?" he looked up quickly, dropping his hands. "Yep! Fine," he smiled, but it was forced. Annie's frown grew as she watched him, and Bridge blinked, looking innocent. "What?" he asked.

"Your nose," she indicated, and he realised it was bleeding.

"Oh," he murmured, putting a gloved hand to it.

"Bridge," he glanced to Sky, who was frowning at him as well, concern in his eyes.

"It's nothing! Guess I just took a hit during the fight," Bridge insisted, a hand still to his nose.

"Bridge, your nose hasn't bled like that since-"

"Sky, it's not..." Bridge tried to argue, but stopped, putting his hands to his head. Sky was up in an instant, almost knocking Syd flying as the others watched, confused. As Sky reached him, Bridge slumped, and would have fallen, had Sky and Annie not caught him.

"What's wrong with him?" Annie asked as Bridge's breathing turned erratic. The others were on their feet in an instant.

"We need to get him to Kat," Sky told her, pulling Bridge to his feet and slinging his arm over his shoulder. Spencer helped on his other side, trying to help Bridge move along as the Green Ranger swam in and out of consciousness.

* * *

"I thought he had a handle on this," Kat frowned as she tested Bridge's vitals.

"He does," Sky frowned, arms folded.

"Mind filling the rest of us in?" Jack asked impatiently, not liking that one of his friends and team-mates was unconscious after passing out so suddenly.

"It's his psychic abilities," Sky explained, turning to them. "You know he reads auras, sees stuff, right?" they nodded slowly. "That's why he wears gloves. He has to touch things to see things, so gloves protect him from getting hit by everything. Including thoughts, memories, everything," Sky explained, and the others remained silent.

"He built mental walls to stop this happening," Kat stepped in, reading over the vitals. "It's the only way that even just being around other people won't kill him," she told them.

"Then why now?" Spencer asked.

"I don't know," Kat shrugged. "I haven't seen him like this since not long after he joined SPD," she told them.

"I think I can answer that," they looked over at Kayden as he walked over, looking at a tablet. "After you said he started getting like this after the fight, I took a look at the battle," he showed them footage of the battle they had just left. They watched as their past selves, unmorphed, fought off the alien that was causing trouble in the city.

"There, he touched Bridge's neck," Annie pointed, and Kayden nodded, pushing the video back to show it.

"I think whatever he did, messed with Bridge's powers," they looked up at Kayden again.

"Then he needs rest, so out," Kat ordered, and the Rangers reluctantly left, minus Annie. Kat frowned at her, but as she went to tell her to leave, she saw the Silver Ranger's expression, and sighed. "Fine. But just you, and you stay out of the way," she instructed. Annie nodded, and Kat left her to sit, deep in thought.

* * *

The Rangers were quiet as they returned to the rec room, deep in thought.

"Man..." Jack finally broke the silence after a while. "I never realised how hard it was for him," he admitted.

"He hides it pretty well," Syd shrugged, taking a seat. Sky took her hand, deep in thought. While he tried to act aloof, the Blue Ranger had shared a room with Bridge for most of their time in SPD, and he was his closest friend. Even he couldn't hide his real feelings.

"It was hard learning to control these powers, I can't even imagine what it was like for him," Z looked down at her hands.

"Yeah, I kept falling through things when I leaned on them," Jack admitted, and the air became less tense as the others smiled in amusement, picturing it.

"I blew a lot of stuff up," Spencer spoke up, lighting up an energy-ball to study it. "Mostly when I got upset," he added, letting it fizzle out.

"Yeah, I cloned when I got scared," Z nodded. "My parents had a rough time when I was little," she smiled slightly.

"I broke a guy's nose once," they all looked at Syd quickly as she went red. "He was trying to pick on me and I hit him...I didn't realise I'd been touching the desk," the others winced, but couldn't help but laugh at the image as well.

"Growing up different was tough," Z remembered what Bridge had said when she'd told them about being bullied in school to the point where she'd run away. The others hummed in agreement, and Z glanced to Spencer when he agreed. "You too? But I thought...sorry," she realised what she was saying. Spencer shook his head.

"It's okay, I get it. I was lucky that I knew I wasn't the only one like me. But just because my parents had powers, didn't mean other kids understood it," he smiled at her. "These two kids, they were a year older than me, their parents were the Pink and Yellow Mystic Force Rangers. But they didn't understand why I had powers. They have magic as well, but we were too young to learn it. So, they told everyone I was weird, and, well, you guys get what happens next," his smile turned wry.

"I told my best friend," Sky spoke up. "We were friends for as long as I could remember, and I finally told him when we were ten. He told the entire class," he shrugged.

"Kids are so cruel," Syd murmured. The others nodded in agreement. Growing up hadn't been easy for any of them.

"Will Bridge be okay?" Z couldn't help but ask.

"Of course. Dude's strong," Sky spoke confidently.

"Huh," Jack glanced to him. Sky frowned, not understanding the Red Ranger's smile. "Looks like even you aren't immune to Spencer's way of talking," Sky realised what he'd said, and went red, rolling his eyes.

"Oh shut up," he grumbled. The laughter grew, before the alarm blared and they groaned.

"Now what?" Spencer complained as they got up and hurried to the Command Centre.

* * *

Looking at a worn picture kept in her pocket, Annie was deep in thought. Leaning her head back, she sighed, frowning at the ceiling. Wondering her place in the team, she knew she was the odd one out. She couldn't relate to them, growing up with powers. Yes, she was different as well, but it had always been a lot easier to disguise being a Ninja. She was a part of the team. She'd earned that place, and she knew that, but she couldn't help but feel distant from the others.

"You look like you swallowed a bunch of bees," she jumped, glancing at Bridge when he spoke suddenly.

"How do you know...do I want to know?" she asked slowly, sounding exhausted.

"My dog did it, looked just like that," he nodded.

"Thanks," Annie said dryly. "How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting up properly.

"Head still hurts, but better," he admitted. Annie huffed, folding her arms.

"Next time tell us, you freaked us all out," she muttered, averting her gaze.

"Sorry," Bridge's smile dropped when he saw her expression. She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"No, don't apologise. I'm sorry, I just..." she shrugged, still not looking at him. "I'm not good with feelings, y'know?" Annie shrugged again.

"What's the photo of?" Bridge asked suddenly, and she looked down to the picture in her hand. She held it out to him, and he took it carefully. Recognising the faces not only from the footage on the SPD files and from meeting them in person, Bridge recognised some in particular through his friends.

A young girl who didn't look much older than 15 stood smiling brightly at the camera, her hair cut short as an older girl, this one around 18, hugged her with a grin. While Annie lacked her light brown hair and bright blue eyes, her features were much like Zoe's, down to her confident smile. All of them looked like they'd been through a tough fight, all sporting bruises and cuts of some kind, but they all looked happy and proud.

"It was taken just after the Ninja Rangers won against Lothor," Annie explained as he handed it back, his gloved fingers brushing against hers. "My mum gave me it after I became a Ranger," she slipped it back into her pocket. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked when he pushed himself up further.

"Sky and Kat told you, huh?" Bridge was still smiling, but there was something else behind his gaze. Annie nodded, her fingers curled around the edge of her seat.

"The guy we took in this morning, he messed with your powers. He's from a planet that can communicate telepathically, so when he touched you..."

"It messed with me," Bridge gathered, rubbing his head.

"If you want, I can go, I can-"

"It's fine," Bridge told her as Annie went to stand. He smiled again. "You're kinda helping," he admitted. Annie frowned, not understanding.

"But me being here...wouldn't it mess with your powers?" she asked, confused. Bridge shook his head and shrugged.

"Usually, yeah, but you...you're different," he told her. Annie's frown only grew. "Your aura, your energy, it's kinda, calm, or quiet, maybe a mix of the two? Or maybe it's relaxed?" Bridge considered.

"You...you realise who you're talking to, right?" Annie arched an eyebrow. "Me, Annie, the temperamental one? The girl who has to be repeatedly stopped from saying or doing something stupid?" she demanded. He nodded, laughing a little at her words.

"Well yeah, but when you're not mad, it's like, you know, like a calm before the storm," he described. Annie flushed at the comment. "It's nice," Annie went even redder at his soft comment as he closed his eyes. For a moment, she thought he'd fallen asleep again, before he opened his eyes and reached out to her with a grin. "Can I try something?" he asked, and she frowned. Moving more, he caught her hand and pulled so she stood beside him, looking down curiously. When his other hand brushed her cheek, her breath caught.

"Bridge, I-" she hesitated as he watched her, looking curious. "I don't want to hurt you," Annie shook her head.

"It won't," his quiet assurance soothed her fears and she leaned in, kissing him softly. After a moment, she pulled away, unable to stop herself smiling softly as he grinned at her. "See? Calm," Bridge nodded victoriously, making Annie laugh quietly.

"Whatever you say," she rolled her eyes, and he pulled her down into another kiss. Just as gentle, Annie was still worried about overloading his senses. His hand squeezed hers, picking up on it, and their fingers linked together.

They separated quickly when someone cleared their throat, and Annie felt her face go bright red when she saw Kat standing in the doorway, her eyebrow arched as she tried not to show her amusement. She was failing miserably, but nowhere near as badly as Kayden, who was laughing hard behind the doctor.

"When you're quite done there, the other Rangers have been sent out to apprehend a criminal and would appreciate your help," Kat told Annie, who nodded wordlessly. She glanced to Bridge, who grinned at her in his usual goofy way, and she smiled back, letting his hand go to head out.

"I warned you I'd make your life hell, Annabelle," Kayden whispered as she passed. She stopped for a moment, and turned her head with a pleasant smile that could only mean trouble.

"I'm going to beat the snot out of you when I get back," she whispered back, still smiling, before turning away, breaking into a run. Kayden smirked. It was worth it.

* * *

Rolling under the swing of a Krybot, Spencer was up on his feet, striking it with his sword. It fell backwards, clearing his path to kick another that was getting too close. Letting an energy-ball light up in his hand, Spencer tossed it at another and kept moving, cutting through them.

"Couldn't we have done this later?" Syd grumbled as she blasted another Krybot. Jack let out a cry as the alien tossed him through the air with a sonic wave.

"Stop!" Sky called, going in for an offensive. The alien just laughed and clapped his hands again hard, and another sound wave threw the Blue Ranger back. Z blasted him, but it did little to phase the creature, who knocked them all down with another wave of sound.

"This is really annoying," Spencer grumbled, throwing an energy-ball that narrowly missed his head.

"I hear that," Jack growled.

"Sky of Wonder..." they looked up when they heard the voice. "Power of Thunder!" the alien cried out as a wave of thunder energy slammed into him, throwing him to the ground. Annie landed in front of him, smirking under her helmet. "Please. Come back when you actually have some power behind those things," she taunted.

"Why you-" the alien leapt up, and Annie got in close, striking him with her open palm and throwing him back as he sparked from the electrified attack.

"Jack, you're up!" Annie called to the Red Ranger.

"Right!" he got to his feet. "SPD, BATTILIZER!" Jack called on RIC, taking on the armoured form. He rushed in and struck the alien, who cried out again, rolling backwards.

"You don't scare me!" he yelled, clapping again.

"Battilizer, Sonic Mode!" Jack leapt into the air as he combined with RIC. "Battilizer Mode 2, complete!" using the jets to fly up through the air, he dodged the attacks. His sword then flashed red. "Battilizer! Full power! Fire!" he flew down, swinging the blade, and threw a powerful blast that slammed into the alien, who shrieked. As the smoke cleared, the containment card landed on the ground.

"Nice one!" Z nodded as Jack landed and lifted the card.

"Thanks for the help Annie," Jack glanced to the Silver Ranger.

"Please," Annie smirked, her arms folded. "Only I get to knock you guys on your butts," she told them confidently, and they rolled their eyes in amusement.

* * *

"You recovered pretty quick," Annie commented as she and Bridge walked through the base.

"I get over it pretty quick," Bridge told her. While he still looked tired, he was already looking a lot better.

"Good, I mean..." Annie went red, keeping her gaze on the ground as they walked. Her embarrassment made the Green Ranger's grin widen, and he caught her hand, watching as the red crept up her face, reaching her ears. "I'm glad..." she muttered.

"You know, we both have tomorrow off, well, the entire team does, the Commander does usually give us the same days off, doesn't he?" Bridge wondered, and Annie couldn't help but smile at his ramblings. "Maybe to let us hang out more, or maybe so we can do what we want. Maybe it's just coincidence..." he murmured.

"Bridge," Annie laughed, poking his forehead.

"Oh, yeah," Bridge grinned back at her. "Do you want to do something tomorrow?" he asked, and she smiled wider.

"Sure," she nodded. Her blush grew when he drew closer to her, making her look up at the Ranger who was a little taller than her. He wore a curious look again, before kissing her, and Annie rested her free hand on his chest as she returned it. "I still don't know what you mean by calm," she murmured when they pulled apart. "That's never been a word to describe me," Annie told him.

"They just don't see it," Bridge shrugged.

"And you were never there to witness her and Spencer beating the snot out of each other when they were little," the two looked around at Kayden, smirking at the pair. Annie scowled at him, and when his smirk widened, her eye twitched.

A pained yell echoed through the base, and the rest of the Rangers, who had been eating dinner, exchanged looks and hurried outside of the rec room to find Annie pinning Kayden to the ground, pressing his face into the ground as he laughed loudly. Bridge just looked blank, not quite sure what was happening.

"You do realise you're not supposed to fight out here, right?" Sky asked as he looked down the two.

"He started it," Annie growled. "Stop laughing!" she told her cousin.

"Dude, the only time I've seen Annie like this..." Spencer groaned and put a hand to his face. "Really Kayden? You called her that?" he demanded.

"Called her what?" Syd asked curiously.

"Nothing!" Annie snapped as Kayden continued to laugh, despite his position. Jack sighed, shaking his head, wondering just how he was managing to lead their team.

* * *

 _ **Thank you all so much for letting this story get to 200 reviews! I'm so glad that despite it's rocky start, you're continuing to enjoy it! I hope that continues on for the rest of the story!**_

 _ **Please review!**_


	24. SWAT Part 1

Chapter 24: SWAT Part 1

Spencer rubbed his head as he walked into the rec room, aiming to get breakfast after training that morning. His stomach growled loudly, and he stepped sideways to avoid Jack and Bridge as they sparred. Sky was focusing on painting a model, but looked irritated every time the two got too close. As Spencer took a seat with a bowl of cereal, he heard a thump as Bridge was flipped onto the sofa.

"Hey Sky, would you rather have sausage links for fingers, or sweat mayonnaise?" he asked, upside down.

"You guys shouldn't be sparring in here. You're gonna break something," Sky scolded.

"I am not!" Bridge protested, still upside down.

"Cooked or raw sausages?" Spencer asked idly.

"Don't encourage him!" Sky frowned at the Gold Ranger, who rubbed his head again.

"Aw, still sore after training Spence?" he looked up with a frown as Annie walked in. She grinned at him, looking delighted. He rolled his eyes, turning away from her.

"I've asked you not to do that move," he muttered.

"But how else will you learn to avoid it?" Annie asked innocently. Spencer chose not to answer. "Besides, you've been distracted again. It's your own fault for not paying attention," the blonde said as she took a seat with her phone. Bridge poked her, grinning as she glanced down at him, looking amused. Spencer's frown deepened. Yes, he'd been distracted, by dreams again. Specifically, the same dream that had been slipping in for several months, of his Grandfather fighting a strange creature he'd never seen before.

"If I'm distracted, maybe you should, you know, step back?" he muttered, and Annie arched an eyebrow.

"Relax, you sound as naggy as Sky," she told him. Sky shot her a dirty look as Bridge and Jack hid their grins.

"You left makeup _all over_ the bathroom!" they looked up as Syd and Z walked in, arguing.

"I left that there for you! You could use a little more blush!" Syd explained. "Besides, what about your sweat socks? They're starting to look like part of the Green Ranger uniform," she folded her arms. Bridge blinked, looking up, and Annie shook her head.

"Syd, those socks were _always_ green!" Z snapped, and the two began to shout at each other. Spencer put his hands to his head as it pulsed in response to their arguing, before hearing Jack yell as Bridge tried a sneak attack on him, only to be flipped in response, landing directly on Sky's model.

"I _told_ you not to spar in here!" Sky shouted as he stood up.

"Sorry _mum_ ," Bridge rolled his eyes from the ground.

"It was an accident!"

"Would you all shut up?" they all stopped, looking at Spencer at his outburst. "Seriously, you're all just acting like kids!" he exclaimed.

"Calm down _dad_ , you're just cranky cause I put you on your butt again this morning," Annie rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm cranky because you're close to giving me a concussion!" the arguing started up again, and Kruger walked in.

" _Enough_!" they all stopped quickly, looking around at the Commander. "I can hear you from Kat's lab!" he scolded.

"You can hear us all the way from there?" Z raised an eyebrow.

"Of course he can!" Bridge nodded, still on the ground. "He's got those super dog ears, he can-" he stopped abruptly at Kruger's frustrated growl.

"Your petty bickering has been a problem all year. I thought you would have resolved it by now, I can see I was wrong!" he shook his head, and the group started arguing again, blaming one another. Kruger groaned, shaking his head in exasperation.

* * *

Kayden yelped when the hardware he was working on sparked suddenly, making him jump. Kat barely even noticed, her focus on getting the programming working. The Water Ninja gave a quiet laugh, working on fixing his mistake. When Kruger walked in, Kat looked up abruptly.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" she snapped.

"I didn't say anything," Kruger raised his hands in defence.

"Yeah, well you were going to," Kayden hid his smile at Kat's grumble.

"I was not," Kruger argued. "I was thinking about the Cadets. Kat, have you noticed how they've been bickering a lot lately?" he asked her curiously.

"Seven teenagers asked to protect the world and forced to live in such tight quarters?" Kat asked mockingly. "I'm surprised they're talking at all," she told him, before the hardware exploded again, making both her and Kayden cry out. "No! Tell me I didn't fry the Quantum Enhancer!" Kat pleaded. "Kayden! Tell me I didn't fry the Quantum Enhancer!" she yelled as she ran over.

"What happened?" Z asked as she walked in with a folder in her hands.

"Kat fried the Quantum Enhancer," Kruger told her.

"Not cool, Commander," Kayden complained as Kat glared at the Sirian.

"Where am I going to get another Quantum Enhancer?" she groaned as the Commander left. "If I order one, it could take a month!" she complained.

"I can call Cam, but it'll take a while," Kayden offered.

"I know where you can get one," Z suggested, and the two glanced to her in surprise.

* * *

"Aw man, not Piggy again," Kayden complained under his breath as he, Kat and Z walked towards where Piggy's diner was set up for the day.

"Be nice. Piggy's a friend," Z scolded, slapping his arm.

"A really gross friend," Kayden muttered, rubbing his arm. Z rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Hey Piggy!" she called as they spotted him sitting at a table with two others. His face fell when he spotted them, and he sighed heavily. "Got a second?" Z asked.

"Sure...anything for SPD?" he forced himself to smile.

"I'm looking for a Quantum Enhancer that can handle sequences on a molecular level," Kat explained. "You don't..." she trailed off, watching the other two aliens at the table carefully. "By any chance, have one, do you?" she asked.

"Huh...a Quantum Enhancer...okay, but it's going to cost you," Piggy told them, before he winced when the blue shark alien kicked him. "You can have it for free!" he smiled. "What am I going to do with such a powerful piece of hardware anyway?" he shrugged when Kayden raised an eyebrow, watching the shark-like alien. "I'll just go and get it for you!" Piggy darted back inside the van.

* * *

"You sure about this Kat?" Kayden asked warily as Kat inserted the Quantum Enhancer into the system again. "I mean, this could be dangerous, we don't know where this thing came from," he reminded her.

"Z and the Rangers trust Piggy," Kat pointed out. "And we need to get this online as soon as possible," she added. Kayden folded his arms. "Here goes nothing," she went back to her chair and activated the system.

"I see you've repaired your Quantum Enhancer," they glanced around as Kruger walked in.

"Well Sir, not exactly. I was just able to locate another one," she told him. "Anyway, it's working perfectly, look," Kat smiled, activating it. Beside Kayden, images of the new upgrades showed up on a hologram.

"Good," Kruger nodded.

"It should be finished sequencing soon," Kat began working again as Kayden focused on the hardware. An alarm suddenly blared, making them look up.

"Kat, report," Kruger ordered as the screens brought up the footage of a giant robot in town.

* * *

As the alarms blared, the Rangers ran towards the Command Center as Kat alerted them to a giant robot in town.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Ranger Morphed and slid down the chutes to their Zords, forming the Megazord as they reached the robot. They dodged the blast thrown their way, and blasted the robot backwards. It flew back, landing hard and shaking the ground.

* * *

"Huh, this attack feels suspicious," Kruger commented as they watched the Megazord easily overpower the robot. "Bring him in for interrogation," he ordered the Rangers.

"Yeah, he's not really giving much of a fight," Kayden folded his arms, watching as the Rangers used the Omegamax Cycle to race towards the robot and combine. The hairs then stood up on the back of his neck, and he straightened up.

"Uh, Commander?" he spoke.

"What is it Cadet?" Kruger asked, not looking away from the screen.

"We have a slight problem," he frowned at Kayden's words.

"Problem?" he echoed.

"Yep," Kayden nodded. "In the form of an intruder in the lab," Kat and Kruger's eyes widened, and the three looked around as an alien gasped in alarm.

"Hey, stop!" Kat ran at him, but he disappeared through the computer.

"What did he get?" Kruger demanded as Kayden ran over and began to check on the hardware. Kat checked the systems, and her eyes widened.

"The schematics for SWAT Mode," she realised.

* * *

"We're bringing in the suspect for questioning," Sky reported as the Rangers returned to base in their vehicles. However, as they drove through the city, they were suddenly blasted, and Spencer let out a cry as one clipped his bike. He was thrown from it, hitting the ground hard and rolling along as his head slammed against the ground.

"Spencer!" Annie called as they skidded to a stop.

"I'm fine!" the young man grunted, pushing himself up and swaying before he caught himself.

"What's going on?" Sky called as he dismounted and looked around. The Rangers gathered together, looking for the source of the attacks.

"Keep him surrounded!" Z called as they grabbed the suspect and pulled him along. As they regrouped, Bridge cried out as another blast slammed into his chest and he was tossed to the ground.

"Bridge!" as Annie moved, she was clipped as well, followed by Syd and Z. Spencer raised a shield, looking around for whoever was attacking.

"Who did that?" Jack drew his Delta Blasters. "Where are you?" he demanded. Another blast came at Spencer, only to bounce off the shield.

"That direction," Spencer pointed, before his eyes focused on one point. "There," he determined.

"Gotcha!" Jack fired several blasts, hitting his target dead on. There was another laugh, and the figure came into view, wearing metal armour.

"Check it out Thresher!" he laughed.

"Whoa, good job Stench!" the shark-like alien nodded his approval.

"This is my new Power Mode! Pretty cool looking huh?" Stench flexed as he showed off the armour.

"Surrender!" Jack ordered.

"I'm not giving up without a fight, Power Losers!" Stench taunted.

"Okay, _rude_ ," Annie growled as she pushed herself back to her feet.

"You asked for it!" Jack ran at Stench and the two began to fight, but with his Power Mode, he easily tossed the Red Ranger through the air. When a blast clipped him from behind, he looked around to see Sky aiming his blaster at him.

"I hardly felt that with my new armour!" Stench laughed.

"How about this?" Sky blasted him several times, and Spencer tossed an energy-ball that bounced off his armour as Stench leapt through the air towards them. He caught Sky, tossing him around like a ball as he laughed loudly. "Let me go!" Sky yelled, and still laughing, Stench did just that, throwing Sky across the ground to land beside Jack.

"Come on!" Annie spun through the air, kicking out at Stench, but he caught her foot. She cried out as he spun her around, hurling her into Spencer and throwing them both to the ground.

"Get off me!" Spencer groaned, pushing at the Silver Ranger as everywhere hurt. His suit sparked dangerously, having absorbed a lot of damage from his earlier fall.

"I'm trying, it's not like I fell on you on purpose!" Annie growled at him. Laughing loudly, Stench then turned to the remaining three and floored them too with powerful attacks.

"Oh, nice Syd, you really blew that one!" Z snapped at the Pink Ranger as they landed together.

"Me? You were in _my_ way!" Syd yelled back at her.

"Oh whatever!" Z rolled her eyes. Bridge was then tossed through the air, landing hard with the rest of them.

"Did I do good Thresher?" Stench bounced over to his friend.

"Excellent," the shark nodded his approval as Stench giggled from the adrenaline of the battle. "Now get me outta these things!" Thresher ordered, holding out his cuffed wrists. With a powerful chop, he broke through them and the shattered remains of the cuffs fell to the ground. "Whoa, how'd you do that?" Thresher asked, impressed.

"Simple! Everything's controlled by this power bracelet!" Stench explained brightly.

"Great! Let's go!" Thresher nodded.

"You're not going anywhere!" Jack was back on his feet as the two turned back in surprise. "SPD, BATTILIZER!" he called on RIC.

"My armour's better than yours!" Stench ran at Jack and the two began to fight, but Stench was more powerful, catching Jack's attacks and throwing him back.

"I'm loving this!" Stench declared, excited.

"You rock!" Thresher nodded his approval.

"Battilizer! Sonic Mode!" Jack summoned his second form and flew into the air. "Battilizer! Full Power!" Fire!" he threw a blast, but Strench grabbed his friend and leapt away, barely managing to dodge the strike. "I don't believe it!" Jack groaned as the smoke cleared to reveal the two were gone.

"Perfect! You let them get away!" Sky snapped at him.

"I didn't see you chasing after him!"

"What did you say?" Sky and Jack glared at each other.

"Seriously guys, knock it off!" Annie snapped at the pair.

* * *

The arguing continued back to base, as the seven stood in the Command Centre, yelling heatedly at one another to the point they didn't hear Kruger approach.

"Rangers, ten-huh!" they spun around, eyes widening, and stood properly, falling silent. "It seems the enemy is using our own technology against us," the Commander explained.

"Oh great. That's just what we need," Jack smiled sarcastically.

"Enough!" Kruger snapped at him. "I have never been more disappointed in a team in all my years," he growled, furious at them.

"Wow, that's a lot of years when you consider that one of my years is equivalent to-" Bridge was cut off when Annie's elbow caught his stomach. She shook her head quickly at him as Kruger growled, clearly not in the mood.

"This petty bickering has not only made the Command Centre unbearable, it has compromised our mission on the battlefield," Kruger walked past them. "The installation on Gamma Four was recently attacked by unknown assailants. We have to be ready for the same," he ordered. "This is the next level in defence," the Shadow Ranger brought up footage of new equipment. "SWAT Mode," the Rangers breathed in awe at the powerful looking equipment. "Enjoy the hologram. That's as close as you're gonna get," their eyes widened and they looked sharply at him.

"But Sir, you just said there's an imminent threat?" Spencer frowned, fixing his glasses.

"Good question. Unless you can accept and embrace your team-mates as Rangers and as people, you will not be strong enough to defeat Grumm," Kruger's harsh words made them fall silent. "Or anyone else for that matter. That goes for all of you," he looked to each of the Rangers.

"We'll do better Sir," Jack told him.

"You'll have to. I'm sending all of you to the planet Mercuria to meet a friend of mine," the group exchanged curious looks, wondering just what he had planned.

* * *

"Faster Z!" Syd whined as the Yellow Ranger piloted the ship bringing them to Zentor. "This recycled air ages you. I don't want wrinkles," the blond complained. Z rolled her eyes.

"Hey Z...would you rather have Piggy as a room-mate or have morning breath for the rest of your life?" Bridge asked her.

"I already have Piggy as a room-mate," Z told him. Both Bridge and Jack winced.

"And coincidentally you have morning breath as well," Syd responded just as quickly, and all but Spencer and Z 'ohhed' loudly. Even Sky couldn't help but laugh at his girlfriend's retort. Z glared ahead, her cheeks colouring red, and Spencer rolled his eyes, trying to focus on his book.

"Would you ever relax Spence? You're going to burn yourself out," Annie rolled her eyes when she saw.

"Maybe if you focused on more than just putting people on their asses, you'd improve in the other parts of the academy," Spencer said coolly. The others inhaled as Annie's cheeks went red.

"And maybe if you focused less on being a smart arse all the time, you'd be able to take me in a fight after 18 years," another quiet 'ooh' echoed as Spencer shut his book with a snap.

"Perhaps I don't regard fighting as the best way to show I'm better," he met her gaze coolly.

"This doesn't sound like it's going to go the way Kruger wants it too," Z commented, keeping her eyes ahead as she heard Annie and Spencer's quiet arguing. There was suddenly a yell and a thud, and she looked around sharply to find Annie and Spencer wrestling on the ground, yelling abuse at each other.

"Guys come on!" Jack shouted, but was laughing as Spencer pushed Annie back, trying to see as his glasses, as well as his book, went skittering across the floor.

"Come on Annabelle, prove me right!" Spencer goaded.

"Don't _call me that_!" Spencer let out a howl as she grabbed a fistful of his hair. With a groan Jack got up and hauled Annie off Spencer, struggling until Sky and Bridge helped him.

"Yep, definitely not going to go the way Kruger wants," Z rolled her eyes when the two were back in their seats.

* * *

The Rangers had fallen into a tense silence, choosing to ignore one another instead of talk. Annie had her arms folded, scowling childishly as Spencer returned to his book, looking unshaken by the fight that had been very similar to the fights that had been frequent when they had been young, and had occasionally happened over the years when they clashed.

They were jerked out of their thoughts when the ship suddenly jolted.

"Do something!" Jack yelled to Z as she worked to regain control.

"There's nothing I can do! We're getting pulled in!" Z pulled at the controls hard. "Prepare for a hard warning!" she shouted. Tossing his book aside, Spencer held out his hands, closing his eyes as gold light surrounded his hands. The ship jerked, throwing them forwards again, before slowly lowering them to the planet. At the last second, he grunted, losing control, and the ship dropped hard.

"Good job Spencer," Jack nodded to the Gold Ranger, who leaned back in his seat.

"Could have been a little more gentle though," Syd muttered.

"You're welcome," Spencer retorted, unclipping himself from his seat and stretching. He then pushed the door open, and looked around at the planet around them that was very different to their own. "As a word of warning, be careful. There's a reason so many on this planet become Rescuers. It's dangerous," he told them, before Annie pushed past him, stepping out into the sand. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Come on Rangers," Jack called as he led the way from the damaged ship.

"I'm not looking forward to this," Sky muttered as they slowly made their way down a hill.

"Who is?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Me!" Bridge smiled.

"Watch it!" Annie yelled, pushing them out of the way of a blast that slammed into the side of the hill. Losing their footing, the group rolled down the hill. Pushing themselves up and trying to ignore their dizziness, the Rangers ducked behind the rocks at the bottom of the hill and looked around, holding their blasters.

"Who's shooting at us?" Sky shouted.

"How should I know?" Jack snapped.

"Look!" Bridge pointed out, spotting a shape in the smoke nearby. Red lights fired from it, and they ducked behind the rocks again. A van emerged from the smoke and dust, and blasted the Rangers off their feet.

"It's SPD..." Spencer groaned when the van slowed to a stop. The back opened, and Rangers prepared themselves for what emerged. A robotic dog, red in colour and designed more like a bulldog, leapt out, followed by another figure.

"I think we're in trouble..." Annie swallowed.

"That's the understatement of the year hotshot!" the red haired alien shouted at them. The Rangers quickly lined up, standing to attention. "I am Sergeant Silverback. I am the hardest, _meanest_ , most fearsome teacher you ever had!" the leader yelled as he walked past each one. His RIC nodded with a growl. "Am I clear?" he snapped.

"Yes sir," the Rangers called.

"Good. By the time I'm through with you, I can promise you, that _you_ will not like me!" Silverback vowed.

"I already don't," Jack muttered. Spencer closed his eyes and sighed quietly. Silverback, hearing him, whirled back around and stood in front of the Red Ranger.

"I heard that! Drop and give me 50!" he ordered.

"But Sir-"

"Make that 100!" Silverback yelled. Jack dropped down to the ground as Silverback looked around. "Anyone else want to show me disrespect?" he challenged. Nobody spoke. "You better learn respect, in fact, you all better learn respect. You are all here to relearn how to accept one another," Silverback reminded them. "And until you figure out how...you belong to me!" he declared. "Say it!" he ordered.

"We belong to you..." the Rangers chimed.

"Say it like your freedom depends on it!" Silverback yelled.

" _We belong to you sir_!" they yelled.

"Good," Silverback nodded, appeased. He then turned and walked away, before glancing around. "We best get started," he nodded, laughing and disappearing back into the van with RIC. The van then took off, and Jack got back to his feet.

"He didn't seem so bad," Bridge commented.

"Not the worst teacher I've had," Annie shrugged. They were suddenly blasted again, and when the dust cleared, they found Krybots surrounding them.

"Great, a planet full of Krybots," Bridge muttered as he looked around.

"And a wild primate drill sergeant?" Z added.

"Come on! Let's wipe the floor with these punks so we can go home!" Jack shouted. With yells, the Rangers ran to fight off the Krybots. Blocking a punch, Spencer kicked one back, only to be kicked in the small of his back. He rolled forwards, and was grabbed by more of the robots.

"Sky! A little help?" Jack called to the Blue Ranger.

"Come on Jack," Sky flipped one that was restraining him. "You can't handle a few Krybots?" he asked, only to be tossed back into the dirt.

"I've had enough of this!" Spencer broke free of their grasp and began to glow golden. "Call to the Beast Inside! Let loose the Bull!" he freed his animal spirit, who charged through the Krybots and knocked them flying. Before long, they were gone, and the spirit snorted, disappearing in a flash.

"I had that," Annie muttered.

"You're welcome," Spencer rolled his eyes.

"This is ridiculous!" Sky growled as they regrouped, all breathing heavily. Each was covered in sand and mud, having been thrown about. "Silverback's using extra hard simulators!" he complained. Spencer frowned, his ears twitching as he looked around. Annie did the same.

"Well Sky, if you'd fight beside us, instead of next to us, maybe we would do better!" Bridge told him.

"If you can't handle yourself Bridge-"

"Enough!" Jack interrupted, raising his voice. "Listen," he told them, and after a moment they all heard it, looking up. "Look out!" Jack yelled, and the Rangers were blasted off their feet hard. Syd shoved Z off her with a frustrated shriek.

"I've had it with you Syd!" Z yelled as she got back to her feet.

"Wanna do something about it?" Syd challenged.

"Yeah, I do, let's go!" the two began to fight, and with groans, Sky and Spencer intercepted, grabbing each of them and pulling them back.

"Let me go Sky, I'm gonna show her!" Syd struggled in his grasp.

"I don't doubt it, but right now really isn't the best time," Sky pulled her away.

"You don't doubt it? I'll show you too Sky!" Z snapped as Spencer hauled her backwards.

"This is getting a little ridiculous," Annie commented to Bridge as the two watched.

"Just a little," he nodded.

"Guys!" Jack suddenly yelled, and they looked around to see a large alien rushing at them, roaring loudly.

"Okay...would you guys rather fight that thing or...run?" Bridge suggested. "Personally, I would rather run away," he admitted.

"Ready?" ignoring him, Jack grabbed his Morpher.

"Ready!" Bridge sighed and lifted his Morpher too.

"Ready..." he muttered.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed, but gulped and backed away slightly when the alien approached and they realised just how big he was.

"He's huge!" Spencer gulped.

"Sure is! Get ready guys," Jack warned his team.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	25. SWAT Part 2

Chapter 25: SWAT Part 2

The Rangers backed away slowly as the alien approached them, growling and snarling at them. It suddenly fired blasts that hit the rocks behind them and exploded, knocking the Rangers off their feet.

"Brutal!"

"No doubt..."

"Come on guys!"

"Easier said that done," the Rangers groaned, trying to get back to their feet as the monster continued its approach.

"Watch out!" it suddenly leapt into the air and flashed green, before changing forms, revealing itself to be Silverback. He let out a yell of laughter as they lowered their stances. "What?!" Jack gasped in alarm.

"Rangers! Ten-huh!" they quickly stood to attention. "What just happened here Cadets?" he asked.

"We were preparing to battle that monster!" Jack told him.

"Preparing?" Silverback repeated, sounding disgusted. "You prepare to go on a date!" he yelled as he approached them. "You prepare dinner! You'd prepare to go on vacation! You do not prepare to battle!" he shouted at them. "You are already prepared! You do not wait for the enemy to come to you! You go to the enemy! Do you understand me?!" he yelled.

"Yes sir..." they sighed.

"What was that?!" Silverback demanded at the lackluster response. "You are the sorriest squad of Rangers Kruger has ever sent me! You have come to me full of yourselves, but at the first sign of disappointment, you hang your heads! You're a disgrace to your uniform! You are a disgrace to those who fought for you! You are a disgrace to SPD!" Silverback's words made their heads drop as they realised he was right. "You've lost your colour," he pressed the button on a device, and their suits shattered. "Hand over your Morphers!" he ordered.

"Wait just a-"

"You want to question my orders blue-boy?" Silverback got in Sky's face. Sky didn't speak, and they reluctantly handed over their Morphers. "D-Level Cadets!" they are bristled at his words. "Welcome to SPD!"

* * *

Kruger let out a furious yell, slamming his fist on the console as they watched Thresher and Stench rob another jewellery store, laughing loudly.

"This is all my fault...I should never have gone to Piggy," Kat sighed, filled with guilt.

"I will not disagree with that. However Kat, I have not known you to feel sorry for yourself," Kruger told her.

"The Commander's right," she glanced to Kayden as he offered a smile. "You're the one usually telling us off for it," he pointed out.

"I've never messed up this badly," Kat shook her head.

"Then I suggest you forgive yourself," Kruger told her firmly. "Get over it, and get on with your work," he ordered.

"I can't," she shook her head again. "The holographic virus has rendered the Quantum Enhancer useless," Kat explained.

"Well I know you can do it. As far as I know, you can't fix it in here," he pointed out.

"Yes sir," motivated, Kat headed off.

"Cadet Bradley, I believe your services right now are best suited to helping Kat resolve this," Kruger told Kayden, who nodded and grinned.

"Yes sir," he saluted, and hurried after her.

* * *

The sun beat down on the Rangers as they ran across the desert, carrying heavy rucksacks on their backs as they reached the forest and kept running. The entire time, Silverback barked orders at them as they ran drills, going through the obstacle course set up.

"D-Level cadets," Sky breathed heavily as he undid the buckle on his helmet. "This is my worst nightmare," he declared as Bridge and Syd sank to the ground, exhausted.

"You and me both," Annie muttered.

"Rangers! Ten-huh!" they quickly stood together at Silverback's yell. "I didn't say you could have a break! Grumm is not going to give you a break!" he pointed out.

"We did your course, we played your game," Sky said, letting his helmet fall to the ground. Silverback darted over to him.

"Drop and give me 100!" he ordered. " _All of you_!" he yelled as he passed them all.

"I might just have to slaughter Sky in his sleep after this," Annie hissed as they all dropped.

"On my count!" Silverback began to count their pushups.

* * *

"Enough!" Silverback finally barked after what felt like eternity. They slowly got to their feet, limbs burning. "You seven cannot do anything together! I'm sending you all back to Earth with the recommendation for dismissal from the Academy," his declaration incited an uproar as they all began yelling at him, unable to believe it.

"This is my life!"

"We can't just give up on this!"

"I won't just quit and leave!"

"Sir, you've gotta give us another chance!"

"Another chance?!" Silverback repeated. "You've had plenty of chances!" he scoffed.

"Please?" Bridge pleaded with him. Silverback was silent for a moment, studying his earnest expression, before casting his gaze across the group to see similar expressions. He then glanced to the bulldog RIC, who nodded.

"I will think about it," he decided. "In the meantime, go for a little run on the short course. It's only twenty miles," he ordered, turning away.

"Well I know one thing," Sky turned away. "He didn't say we had to run this thing together," he took off before they could stop him. The rest looked to each other, and shrugged. None were in much mood to converse.

"Fine," they agreed, grabbing their things and taking off in different directions.

* * *

Kayden ran a hand through his hair, working on trying to fix what had been damaged when the original Quantum Enhancer had fried. Sam had returned from his own investigation, having gone to see Piggy, and found he and Broodwing attempting to steal back the stolen technology. However, he was overwhelmed by Thresher and Stench, and had retreated.

"You were wise to retreat," Kruger told him as they stood in Kat's lab. "We're overpowered at this time," he admitted.

"Oh this, this isn't over yet," Sam shook his head. "I can't wait to get my hands on them again," he clenched his fist, and Kayden gave a small chuckle.

"Careful Sam, it sounds like you've been spending too much time with the rest of the team," he grinned, glancing up as Sam looked over at him. "Getting a little emotional," he teased.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sam turned away, and with a laugh, Kayden returned his attention to his work.

* * *

Spencer took a breath, shaking his head.

"Okay, nowhere near as bad as that trip to the Cimmerian Forest when I got mouthy with Gramps," he breathed, but it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself. Pulling off his glasses, he tried to clean them on his jacket, but it didn't do much to help them. He just sighed. "Seriously, how do Tyzonn and Arianna live here?" he grumbled, thinking of the Mercurian who was one of Ari's closest friends. Wiping the sweat from his face, he took another breath and began jogging again.

"Spencer!" he didn't get very far before he heard Annie's yell echo through the forest. "Spencer, help!" her plea made him whirl around, trying to determine where it had come from.

"Annie?!" he yelled, but didn't hear anything more. "Hold on, I'm coming!" Spencer yelled, taking off to find his friend. Before long, as he ran through the forest, he almost collided with Sky. "Sky!" the two grabbed onto each other, breathing heavily.

"Spencer! Have you seen Bridge?" he asked quickly, sweat pouring from his face. "He's in trouble!" the taller man heaved.

"Bridge? No, I haven't, have you seen Annie? I heard her calling for help!" Spencer explained as he tried to catch his breath.

"Bridge _and_ Annie? They might be together!" Sky realised, and the two took off again to try and find their friends.

* * *

Slumping back in the sand, Annie tilted her head back as she gasped for breath. She grabbed her flask, taking a swig and returning it to her side, trying to ration it.

"Man, when we get home I am sleeping for a week," she decided, pushing herself back up. Her jacket was discarded long ago, leaving her in a black vest, and her rucksack stuck to her uncomfortably.

"Annie!" her ears twitched and she looked around sharply. "Help me!" her eyes widened as she heard Spencer's cry.

"Spence! I'm on my way!" the young woman shot off in a crack of Thunder, racing in the direction she'd heard it, reaching the trees. Before she realised it, she was colliding with someone, rolling along the ground with a cry. When they slowed to a stop, Annie groaned, pushing herself up.

"You know, you could just say hi," Bridge commented from under her.

"But this way is so much more painful," Annie replied in a bright voice, getting to her feet. "Sorry," she apologised, helping him up. "Have you seen Spencer? He's in trouble," she said, worried.

"So's Syd," she glanced around at Jack as he reached them. Bridge pulled off his glove, waving his hand through the air.

"Good news, I've got their trail," Bridge told them, glancing to Annie and Jack, before worry showed in his expression. "Bad news, so do the group of Krybots following them," their eyes widened.

"Come on," Annie took off, and the two followed her quickly. They ran through the trees, calling out for Syd and Spencer, before hearing a loud groan and looking up. Their eyes widened as they saw a large tree falling right for them, before the three were suddenly tackled out of the way. The tree landed with a massive crash.

"Spencer!" Annie gasped.

"Nice save," Bridge said to Sky.

"Thanks," the group got to their feet.

"Spencer, are you alright?" Annie asked as she checked him over. Other than the layer of grime they all now had, he seemed unharmed.

"I'm fine. Are you?" he asked her, doing the same.

"I heard you call for help, so I came running," Sky told Bridge, making both frown.

"I didn't call for help," Bridge shook his head.

"I heard Annie call," Spencer said.

"And I heard Spence," the two gestured to one another.

"It's Syd," Sky's eyes widened. "She's in trouble," Jack told him.

"We've gotta find her!" Sky spoke, before they heard more footsteps.

"Hey! Has anyone seen Z?" Syd reached them. "I heard her call for help!" she told them.

"Syd!" Jack's eyes widened as Sky reached out to her, his brief panic calmed to see her unharmed.

"I'm fine," she frowned, not understanding why they were so worried.

"Hey, I didn't call!" Z reached them. "Sky called for help," the young woman told them.

"Hey, I don't call for help," Sky shook his head quickly at the idea.

"So...we all came running her because we all called for help but...we never called for help?" Bridge summed up, looking confused.

"Guys," realisation dawned on Jack's face. "This has gotta be one of Silverback's plans," he told them. "He wanted us to all be together," he smiled.

"You know what?" Sky caught his breath slowly. "When I was running, I realised, so do I," he admitted. Syd smiled as he took her hand. "I want us to be together as Power Rangers. _And_ as friends," he told them.

"And the fact we all came running, I think it's safe to say we all do," Spencer nodded with a smile of his own.

"I wanna apologise," Sky spoke up again as they all nodded.

"I'm sorry," Syd and Z chimed.

"Me too," Jack nodded.

"Me three," Bridge grinned.

"I guess I was kind of a jerk. Sorry guys," Annie shrugged.

"Just 'kind of'?" Spencer grinned, and laughed when she punched him. "Kidding. I was too. Sorry," he put his arm around Annie, who elbowed him with a smile.

"Urgh, let's _not_ make this into a group hug, shall we?" she asked, making them laugh. The Rangers were suddenly blasted off their feet, landing hard on the tough ground. Pillars rose from the ground, firing blasts at the Rangers, and they managed to get to their feet.

"Run!" Jack yelled, leading them through the forest as they dodged the blasts. "We need to do something!" he shouted as they ducked behind the trees.

"On it!" Syd grabbed Z's necklace, and her hand turned to gold. She leapt into view, deflecting the blasts and destroying the pillars.

"Careful Syd!" Spencer was up beside her, raising a shield to block multiple blasts coming at her from behind. They were deflected, and the pillars exploded when their attacks were turned on them.

"Thanks Spence," Syd smiled at him.

"No problem," he winked at her, lighting up an energy-ball and blasting the last one.

"Nice one Syd," Z smiled as the others ran up to them.

"Can't beat 24-carat gold," Syd grinned back, giving back Z's necklace. Hearing the tell-tale beeps of Krybots, they looked around to see more running at them. "Let's go!" the group turned and sprinted in the other direction, only to find themselves surrounded by even more.

"We're surrounded," Bridge looked around to see their exit cut off.

"Okay, simulation or not, this can't be good," Jack frowned.

"Come on Jack, we've taken on this many Krybots before!" Sky pointed out.

"Yeah, but we used to have our Morphers!" Syd reminded him.

"And we used to be a team!" Z added.

"We still are!" Bridge told them. "At least, I still are," he shrugged.

"I are too," Jack nodded.

"Damn right we're still a team!" Annie cracked her knuckles.

"Remember what Silverback said!" Spencer took a step forwards, glowing golden with his aura. "We don't wait for the fight to come to us, we go to the fight!"

"Altogether!" Jack shouted, and the others nodded. The others linked together as Sky formed a shield, and they began running.

"Call to the beast inside! Let loose the Bull!" Spencer released his animal spirit before running after his team, letting the Bull take out any Krybots that got too close to them.

* * *

Running through the desert again, the Rangers spotted Silverback's van, and raced towards it together.

"Woo!" Silverback leapt from the back and lopped over to the group as they stood to attention. "So, what do you have to say for yourselves?" he asked, taking in the appearance of each one.

"Sir! We thank you for giving us this opportunity, and we apologise for not seeing it sooner, Sir!" Jack shouted as he stepped forwards.

"And?" Silverback asked.

"We are Rangers, Sir! Our strength is in our team, not as individuals, Sir!" Sky stepped forwards. Silverback turned and got in his face, but Sky didn't blink.

"Excellent! Congratulations!" Silverback nodded as Sky allowed himself a small smile. "You have graduated from SWAT training," their relief was obvious as they all sagged. "Kruger!" Silverback grabbed his communicator. "Your team is ready to come home," he declared as they smiled.

' _Sergeant, Kruger's not here. He's in trouble. We need the Rangers now_ ,' their smiles were short lived at Kat's words.

"You heard her!" Silverback lifted the case that contained their Morphers. "Everything you need is on the SWAT truck! The truck is yours to defend Earth. _Dismissed_!"

"Sir yes Sir!" the Rangers yelled, saluting.

* * *

Sam and Kruger struggled in their prisons as Thresher and Stench mocked them, drunk on the power they had stolen from SPD. They'd managed to wrangle together a group of Krybots, ordering them to surround the building. However, a blast suddenly burst through the side of the building, throwing Stench to the ground as he shrieked in alarm.

"Hey! You have something that belongs to us!" Jack's voice echoed.

"And we're taking it back!" the Rangers ran into the building.

"No, SPD?!" Stench gasped from the ground, seeing the Rangers. They now wore more equipment, including black vests, headsets, and carried massive blasters.

"Special Weapons And Tactics!"

"They can't be!" Stench got to his feet as he shrieked. "They have our gear!" he cried in horror.

"You mean our gear," Spencer replied.

"And it's not just any gear!" Jack grinned. "SWAT Mode Red!"

"SWAT Mode Blue!"

"SWAT Mode Green!"

"SWAT Mode Yellow!"

"SWAT Mode Pink!"

"SWAT Mode Gold!"

"SWAT Mode Silver!"

"SPD SWAT!"

"Krybots, get them!" Stench yelled fearfully. They blasted the Rangers, who dodged easily.

"If that's the way you want it," Jack smirked. "Delta Enforcers! Fire!" they aimed their blasters and fired, destroying the Krybots easily. "That did it!" the Red Ranger nodded with a laugh.

"You can't catch what you can't see!" Stench vanished.

"Alright team, let's sweep the area!" Jack ordered.

"Yes sir!" the Rangers ran through the building, looking for any sign of Stench of the others.

"Let's split up into three groups. Radio if you find anything," Jack ordered.

"Rodger!"

"Go!" Jack barked. Sky and Z turned down one way, while Syd and Z went another, and Jack, Spencer and Annie kept moving forwards.

"Behind us!" Annie called without looking around, and the three whirled around, taking out the Krybots attempting to sneak up on them.

"Area clear," Spencer grinned.

"Man, this power," Annie practically bounced as they kept moving.

' _Jack, I found Thresher_ ,' Bridge spoke over the communication line. ' _He's in the lab at the top of the building_ ,' he told them.

"Roger that Bridge!" Jack called, and he, Spencer and Annie ran through the building, reaching the top floor and kicking the door down.

"Rangers!" Sam smiled with relief at the sight.

"Who invited you?" Thresher demanded with a snarl.

"We crashed!" the three began to fight him, and easily tossed Thresher to the ground. "I order you to remove that armour at once! It's the property of SPD!" Jack shouted at the shark as the three aimed their weapons at them.

"Who's gonna make me?" Thresher snapped.

"Uh, the three of us?" Annie tilted her head.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be!" Jack warned. Spencer's head lifted suddenly, and he spun around, firing a blast. Stench cried out as he was shoved back, becoming visible again. He yelled out, but before he could attack, he was blasted again by Sky and Z.

"No!" Thresher got back to his feet in the distraction and attacked Jack, but was no match for their SWAT mode. "Time for a quick getaway!" he pressed a button and vanished.

"Nice try! Thermal detector!" Sky activated the visor in his helmet, spotting the two aliens. He blasted the pair and the others followed suit, and the pair of criminals reappeared, collapsing to the ground.

"Run!" Thresher yelled. However, as they rushed to the window, they stopped in their tracks, seeing Bridge and Syd descend and smash through the windows.

"Sorry guys, didn't mean to drop in," Bridge grinned.

"Yeah, just thought we'd swing by," Syd nodded.

"Good grief, Syd, I thought you were above the puns," Spencer rolled his eyes, turning to the machine keeping Kruger and Sam captive. "Huh. Not that difficult a passcode," he smirked, blasting it with his Enforcer.

"And _you_ are as bad as Annie," Z told him.

"Am not!" Spencer exclaimed, insulted.

"Good work Spencer," Kruger clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Not a problem," the Gold Ranger grinned.

"You haven't finished with us yet!" Thresher yelled as he got back to his feet.

"Yeah!" Stench nodded. The two attacked again, but were easily thrown back. Stench was knocked through a wall, and Thresher followed in his escape.

"Come on team! Let's finish the job," Jack led his team outside, following the two criminals.

"Get up Stench!" Thresher yanked his partner to his feet.

"You have nowhere to run!" Jack called as the Rangers reached them.

"Oh, we're not running!" Thresher fired a blast that the Rangers rolled to avoid, and they blasted the two with their enforcers, throwing them to the ground.

"You're being charged with hacking SPD computers, breaking and entering, and theft of top secret technology," Jack told the pair as they stood in front of the fallen aliens.

"But it wasn't our idea!" Thresher cried as he got back to his feet.

"You pay the price for the choices you make," Jack told him.

"We'll give it back!" Thresher pleaded, but the Red Ranger grabbed his Morpher.

"Judgement!" the light flashed as the two cried out in alarm. "Guilty! Delta Enforcer, Confinement Mode!" the Rangers aimed their blasters as their suits flashed. "Power up!"

"Ready!"

"Activate!" they blasted the two criminals, who were caught up in the explosions and trapped within the confinement cards.

"Perfect!"

"Rangers! That's what teamwork is all about!" Jack told his team, and they clapped their hands together.

* * *

"Man, I never thought I'd be clean again," Spencer sighed happily as he walked into the rec room.

"You definitely smelled that way," Annie grinned to him from across the room.

"You didn't smell much better, oh stormy one," Spencer retorted as he grabbed a peach from the machine and bit into it.

"Hah. Wrong. I always smell great," she told him with a flick of her hair.

"Guys, come on," Syd laughed at their banter. "Be nice," she scolded.

"Yes mum," Spencer grinned at her as he passed, and she swatted at him. He lifted a tablet and began flicking through reports, making Z's eyebrow arch.

"More work? You serious right now Spencer?" she asked, and he laughed, shaking his head.

"Nah, this is different," he told her, and when he saw her confused look, his smile turned a little sad. "About 8 years ago, Mack Hartford disappeared while on an excavation," he told her.

"I heard about that. The billionaire guy," Sky remembered.

"Also the Red Overdrive Ranger," Spencer snapped his fingers and pointed to Jack. "See? I do my homework," he grinned proudly.

"My family, all the Overdrive Rangers' families, they've worked on locating him for years. No luck. The Commander gave me permission to use SPD systems to search for him, assuming it didn't interfere with my own work," Spencer explained as the others laughed at Jack.

"That's why you're always working," Z realised.

"Just trying to find Mack," Spencer nodded.

"Send me some," Jack told him, and Spencer arched his eyebrow. "I'm just sitting here allowing Syd to capture my magnificence on canvas, I may as well do something in the meantime," Syd rolled her eyes at his arrogance.

"Sure," Spencer grinned, sending the files across to his tablet.

"Oh sure, make the rest of us look bad," Annie complained, having been playing a game with Bridge.

"You've already been doing that yourself," Sky commented. "Next time leave your make-out sessions for a place I won't see you?" he requested.

"And you and Syd were disappearing there why exactly?" Bridge tilted his head with a pleasant smile. Sky's face coloured red as Syd disappeared behind her canvas, and the Blue Ranger pushed his friend off the sofa playfully.

"You're all gross," Spencer determined.

"Just because you're mentally five years old," Annie retorted.

"Still gross," Jack and Z chorused, exchanging grins.

"I'm glad to see you all finally getting along," Kruger commented as he walked in with Kat.

"Yeah," Jack smiled lazily up at him. "You know, I think we just needed some fresh air to clear our heads. Good call Commander," he grinned.

"I'm just glad we pulled it together before it was too late," Sky shrugged.

"Sky's right," Annie turned to the rest of the team properly. "We have no idea how much of our tech Grumm got his bony hands on. We have a massive fight still on our hands," Annie determined.

* * *

 **Meant to upload this last night but got caught up playing Civ 6 till 3am, so posting this now as I'm off to Dublin shortly!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	26. Robotpalooza

Chapter 26: Robotpalooza

Jack couldn't help but glare at Annie as she sat opposite him, eating her cereal as she checked her phone. When she glanced up, she blinked at his gaze.

"What?" she asked, innocent.

"You know what," the Red Ranger grumbled, taking a swig of his orange juice. Annie glanced to Z, who was sitting beside him, looking just as tired.

"You think I'm a morning person?" Annie laughed, shaking her head and pushing her blonde hair from her face. "You should see Spencer and Sky," she grinned as she slid her phone into her pocket and finished her breakfast.

"You're all the worst," Jack grumbled. Annie just smiled back at him, before they glanced to the door as it opened to find Bridge stumbling in, his hair standing even more on end as he looked more exhausted than both Jack and Z.

"Morning," Annie smiled, and he raised a hand, his eyes barely open.

"You look terrible," Z commented.

"Thanks," Bridge blinked as he slumped down into a seat. "Hey, did we happen to fight three robots last night? And they were beating us and they had our sword on the ground and they didn't blast us and then...disappeared?" he asked, and was met by several blank stares. They shook their heads, and he sighed. "I thought I was dreaming, but I was asleep so I wasn't awake to know that I was dreaming," he murmured.

"Bridge," Jack frowned.

"Maybe it was a premonition dream!" he suggested.

"A dream about the future," Annie clarified when both Z and Jack still looked blank.

"Oh, like Spencer," Z realised.

"Okay, Bridge," Jack sighed heavily. "Your brain may work like this, early in the morning, but mine doesn't," he told the other Ranger.

"Me neither," Z agreed.

"And it could just be you're working too hard," Annie said as Bridge slumped into her. She leaned her head against his as he sighed, too tired to understand it. The alarms suddenly blared, and the four groaned.

' _Unknown energy in Quadron 14-C. Power Rangers report to location_ ,' Kat alerted. Grabbing an apple, Bridge followed the other three out, his mind still on his dream. Meeting the other Rangers, the group Morphed and hurried out to investigate.

"There he is!" Sky spotted the robot as it rose from the ground, and blasted them. The Rangers dove aside quickly.

"Kat, send help!" Bridge called.

'Delta and Omega are on their way,' the Runners headed towards them, and they leapt up into them, combining to form the two Megazords. Grabbing their blaster, the Rangers blasted the robot. It recovered and leapt through the air, trying to escape, but the Megazord leapt onto the OmegaMax cycle and sped after it, blasting the robot from the sky. With another blast, they disabled the robot, and the OmegaMax Zord changed to its Megazord form as well. With powerful strikes, they knocked the robot to the ground.

"Judgement mode!" the light flashed red.

"Guilty!" the OmegaMax Megazord spun through the air and slashed through the robot, destroying it. "You're going down!"

* * *

"I'm sorry Bridge, but I'm no expert on this. You'd know more than me," Spencer apologised as he and Bridge walked through the rec room.

"But don't you think it's strange that I dreamt about fighting robots, and then the next day, we're attacked by one?" he asked curiously. Spencer raised an eyebrow at him.

"Bridge, we're protecting the world from Grumm and his army of robots, it's kinda what we do," he reminded the Green Ranger, who shrugged, knowing he was right. "Like I said, I don't have a clue about any of this. Visions and stuff are your power. Sorry dude," Spencer shrugged.

"Yeah, but I didn't exactly get a manual on it," Bridge pointed out. "That woulda been handy," he glanced away as he thought about it, and as Spencer chuckled, the alarm blared again.

' _Robot attack in sector 12_ ,' they groaned.

"Ready?" Jack called as they lined up.

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Morphing and heading to the Command Centre to reach their Zords, the Rangers raced through town.

"You may have beaten the others, but no-one can defeat One-Eye!" he fired a blast, but the Rangers easily dodged it.

"We're going in!" Z called. The two Megazords combined and moved to attack the monster, who cried out and fell over as they punched him hard. "Wonder what time it is," the Yellow Ranger grinned.

"I think I know!"Annie laughed. "Judgement time!" she grabbed her Morpher and flipped it open. One-Eye cried out as the lights flashed red and green, before stopping on red.

"Hey! I can't look!" he cried out.

"Guilty! Prepare for confinement!" with powerful punches the Megazord defeated the monster.

* * *

Spencer stretched, groaning as his back cracked, and he sighed.

"I'm not liking how Grumm's decided to start sending in his goons one after another," he commented, glancing to the others.

"Me neither," Jack nodded as they all sat on the ground. "Hopefully he's..." he stopped, glancing up at Bridge as he snored, asleep on the console. "Just being a little busy and calms down soon," the others hummed their agreement, before the doors slid open and Kayden, Kat and Kruger stepped in. Kayden snorted at the sight in front of them, putting a hand to his mouth. Kruger cleared his throat, and they leapt to their feet, standing to attention. Kruger then stood over Bridge, who remained oblivious.

"Cadet Carson," he spoke softly. "Bridge," he tried again.

"Five more minutes Sky," Bridge mumbled. The other Rangers averted their case, trying not to laugh.

"Alright, you just sleep as long as you want," Kruger kept the soft voice.

"You have got to be kidding me," Jack muttered as Sky stared straight ahead, trying to keep a straight face. Spencer had closed his eyes, his head tilted back slightly.

" _Cadet Carson, on your feet now_!" Bridge jerked, slipping to the ground before getting back to his feet. He stood up, shrugging his jacket back on as Kruger stood in front of him. "Do you think the Command Centre is a place for you to take a nap?" Kruger demanded.

"No Sir!" Bridge spoke quickly, still hazy from sleep.

"Do you think fighting two robots is tiring?" Kruger continued.

"No Sir, but five is," the others inhaled quietly at Bridge's words. Kruger raised an eyebrow.

"And how is it you fought five, and everyone else here fought two?" he asked, looking around at the others, seeing their expressions.

"Don't answer Bridge," Sky pleaded under his breath, looking down at the ground to avoid Kruger's gaze.

"Dream fighting, Sir," Bridge replied. The others all winced.

"He answered," Syd and Z chorused.

"There was a Cyclops robot, and one with a satellite on its head, and another with two horns," Bridge described. Kayden and Kat frowned, exchanging looks. "And they were beating us," the Green Ranger continued.

"I see. I-"

"Wait a minute Sir," they looked around at Kat as Kayden moved over to the computers.

"These the robots you saw?" he asked Bridge, bringing up footage of three robots attacking.

"Yeah! Those three!" Bridge nodded quickly. "How..."

"I received a report from SPD Command. Robots with those exact descriptions just decimated Alpha 5," Kat explained. The other Rangers exchanged curious looks. "Maybe Bridge picked up on their energy?" she suggested.

"Interesting," Kruger turned and walked over to the console, sparing Bridge any more yelling. "Cadets, Grumm is no doubt staging an all-out assault. We must be prepared for anything. I suggest you get some rest while you can," he instructed, dismissing them.

"Thanks," Jack muttered, but as they turned to leave, the alarms blared loudly again and they groaned.

"None of that!" Kruger scolded. "You're Rangers!" he reminded them, and they grabbed their Morphers.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed and headed out to battle.

"I hope they'll be alright," Kat murmured as the three walked.

"They have to be alright. They're all that we have," Kruger reminded her.

* * *

Bridge was tossed through the air with a cry, landing in the grass as the latest monster laughed loudly, striking Sky and knocking him to the ground. As Spencer leapt in, the monster grabbed his wrists and spun him, throwing him aside as well.

"Delta Blaster!" Jack blasted the creature, who laughed again, unaffected, and leapt through the air. Jack and Sam hit the ground with the rest, getting to their feet quickly. "I can't wait for this day to be over," the Red Ranger groaned. Syd and Z leapt through the air, kicking the monster away. He blasted them, but they dodged, and Annie kicked him in the stomach, shoving him back further.

"You're fiesty ones, aren't you?" the monster commented.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Syd called, running in again. She kicked him to the ground, and the Rangers regrouped.

"Can I take a break?" he groaned as he got to his feet.

"Let's finish this!" the Ranger ran in, each striking the monster and blasting him with their weapons.

"Nice try!" the monster pushed himself back up, his armour smoking. "But you're not going to catch me that easily!" he leapt up into a robot and laughed.

"Not another robot!" Z complained.

"That makes three...or six..." Bridge considered.

"Either way," Spencer grabbed his Morpher. "We need the-!"

' _I know, I know. The Runners_ ,' Kat sounded just as tired as they felt.

"Let's see you stop me now!" the monster taunted as he walked through town.

"You asked for it!" he looked around to see the DeltaMax Megazord leap through the air. It struck the robot repeatedly, knocking him to the ground. "Judgement time!" Syd held up her Morpher.

"What did I do?" the monster complained.

"For starters, assault on SPD officers and operating a robot without a license! Judgement!" the light flashed.

"Guilty!" the Megazord rushed at him and punched repeatedly, destroying the robot. "Justice serviced!" the Rangers called.

"Glad that's over. I'm exhausted!" Syd slumped back in her seat.

"I hear that," Spencer groaned.

* * *

Spencer fell face first onto his bed with a groan, only bothering to pull off his jacket and shoes before doing so.

"That doesn't exactly look comfortable," Kayden commented as he walked into their room. Spencer just groaned, before rolling over onto his back and sitting up.

"I have no idea why I get these dreams. Sometimes, they aren't even dreams, they're just little images that come into my mind, he ran a hand through his hair irritably.

"Maybe it's from close proximity to Bridge?" Kayden suggested, taking a seat on his bed.

"How?" Spencer shook his head. "None of it makes sense any more," he slumped back down and pulled his pillow over his face.

"Well then maybe you should talk to your mum about it?" Kayden suggested with a roll of his eyes. "Instead of whining about how you don't know, try and find out," he tossed his own pillow at the Ranger as Spencer sat up.

"And what if she has no clue?" he asked, lifting the pillow. "My mum knows a lot about weird stuff, but she doesn't know everything," he pointed out, throwing it back to Kayden.

"Then she'll know who to ask, smart ass," Spencer frowned at Kayden's words. "Well, I better get back to work. Laters!" Kayden left with a cheerful call, and Spencer looked down at his hands.

* * *

Returning to her room with food, Annie took a bite of her sandwich, hoping that Kruger was wrong and that they would at least get the rest of the day to themselves.

"Annie!" she looked around as Bridge almost walked into her.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked curiously. "I'd have figured you'd be asleep," she commented. Bridge shook his head.

"Nah, going for a walk," he answered brightly.

"Where?" she asked, frowning.

"No idea!" he smiled, but as he went to leave, Annie caught up with him.

"Then I'll go too," she told him.

"Annie-"

"Nope," Annie smiled back at him just as pleasantly. "If Kruger's right, then we shouldn't wander off alone, right?" she reminded him.

"Okay, come on," Bridge grabbed her hand and pulled the Thunder Ninja along, knowing he wasn't going to win against her.

* * *

"Gineka!" one of the three aliens walking through the industrial park rushed to the leader. "Destroying the Alpha 5 star system was one thing, but taking on the Power Rangers?" he gulped.

"Broodwing is smart! They've been engaged in battle all day! They're tired! They're worn! They're ready to be defeated!" Gineka declared confidently. The three jumped, however, when they heard clapping, and looked around to see Bridge and Annie approach them.

"Nice plan," Bridge commented as the three stumbled back in alarm. "There's only one problem with it. We're on to you!" he called, and the three ran off with startled cries.

"Not the kind of attitudes I expected from the ones who destroyed Alpha 5," Annie commented, pushing her hair from her face as it clung from the rain. They then grabbed their Morphers.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the pair Morphed and followed the criminals inside the building.

"Stop!" Annie's yell made them shriek in alarm. "SPD!"

"I don't know how you found us, but it doesn't matter," Gineka told them.

"Actually, it kinda does," Annie smirked.

"Judgement!" Bridge raised his Morpher and activated it. "You are charged with purchasing and commanding three dangerous robots, and trespassing in my dreams," the three frowned in confusion at his words. The light then flashed red. "Guilty!" he called.

"Don't make me laugh," Gineka scoffed. "Okay, somehow you caught us. But there's three of us. What can you do?" he mocked.

"We're taking you in," Bridge told them.

"What a fool you are," Gineka laughed, and the other two giggled. "They think they can beat all of us!" the three laughed even louder, and Annie arched an eyebrow, folding her arms.

"Well, this will be easy," she commented, and the two ran at the laughing aliens, knocking the others backwards before restraining Gineka.

"Do something!" quickly losing their nerve, the other two criminals cowered on the ground.

"Bridge, watch out!" Annie cried suddenly, pushing him aside and punching out at the Orange-Head that landed behind them. It barely even reacted, and struck her across the chest, making her cry out. It then turned to Bridge, knocking him down too.

"Knowing Broodwing sure comes in handy," Gineka laughed. "Now take care of them, while we make a getaway," he ordered the Orange-Head, who nodded.

"Stop!" Bridge shouted as he got to his feet, only for two other Orange-Heads and four Blue-Heads to land in front of them. "Uh oh..." Bridge gulped. He and Annie fought off the Orange-Heads, but they were completely outmatched, and Bridge was thrown back against a wall.

A bellow echoed through the building, and the massive Bull spirit cloaked in a golden aura leapt into view, headbutting the soldiers and throwing them back. It stood in front of Bridge and Annie, snorting at the robots.

"Bridge, Annie!" they glanced around to see the other Rangers running towards them. "We've got your back," Jack told them.

"These are the guys with the dream robots!" Bridge told them.

"Meaning the guys with the robots who attacked Alpha 5," Annie translated.

"Three criminals just ran outta here, trying and stop them while we finish these bots, okay?" Bridge asked Sam, who nodded.

"You got it!" he ran off.

"I think I know just what'll take care of these guys," Spencer whistled, and the Bull Spirit glanced to him, snorting, before vanishing.

"Oh yeah! SPD SWAT!" Bridge grabbed his Morpher, and the others followed suit.

"SWAT Mode! Delta Enforcers!" they called on their massive blasters, and aimed them at the robots. They raced towards them, blasted them repeatedly as they passed, and as they stopped behind them, the robots all collapsed, destroyed.

' _The three wanted robots are attacking the city. Report to Delta Base. Since you're in SWAT Mode, I thought you could use some new equipment_ ,' Kat told them, grinning proudly.

' _Oh, and you're definitely going to like them. You'll find the SWAT Flyers in Bay 4_ ,' Kayden laughed.

"Roger that!" the Rangers hurried back, and reached their new Zords.

' _SWAT Flyers operational. Exit Ports in Transition. You like my presents_?'

"You rock Kat!" the Rangers laughed as they left the base and flew through the air.

"Nice!"

"Very nice!"

"Very very _very_ nice!"

"Sweet!"

"I love it!"

"This is _awesome_!"

"Let's go take these guys down!" the Rangers flew into the city.

"Rangers!"

"We're done for!" the two more cowardly criminals cried out when they spotted them.

"Not yet my friends!" Gineka told them confidently. "I've equipped my robot with anti-flier technology!" he smirked. "And I can knock them right outta the sky!" he blasted the Rangers, who retaliated and flipped back through the air.

"Did we get them?"

"Not sure!"

"Nope, we have seven on our tails!"

"Follow my co-ordinates! I have a plan!" Jack called. "Let's go!" the Rangers flew in together and then pulled up sharply, leading the missiles to slam into one another and explode.

"No! I don't believe it!" Gineka cried out in horror.

"That was nothing! Now, we'll really give you something to worry about," Bridge said confidently.

"Right! SWAT Megazord!" the Rangers flew in together, changing forms to combine together.

"We won't surrender!"

"You won't take us!"

"Oh yeah?" Z smirked, and they blasted the two robots.

"No!" Gineka cried out as he was next, thrown back. "Don't just stand there, get it!" he yelled. The two robots ran in, but were easily defeated by quick blasts from the Megazord. "You caught them, but you'll never catch me!" Gineka yelled, changing his robot and flying off.

"Oh, I was hoping you'd say that!" Annie laughed. The Megazord took to the sky after him, easily keeping up with him.

"You wanna play rough, eh? Fire!" he spun his ship around and fired blasts, but with a powerful kick the Megazord destroyed them, and kicked his robot back to the ground, reverting it back.

"Now you're ours!" Jack smirked.

"Wait!" Z cried suddenly. "My scanners say he has Magnum Lasers on board!" she warned, and they all veered back.

"If he explodes, the city's done for!" Syd realised.

"I have an idea! Follow me!" Sky called. The Megazord grabbed the robot, forcing it up into space, before changing forms to a massive blaster.

"Delta Enforcer! Confinement mode!"

"Ready!"

"Fire!" they blasted the robot one final time, and Gineka shrieked as his robot was destroyed. "You're going down!"

* * *

"Man, that new Megazord is incredible," Jack commented as the Rangers sat together, all exhausted.

"Yeah it is. Kat really came through for us again," Sky agreed. "So did Bridge," he added, glancing to the Green Ranger, who looked half asleep. He blinked at them as the others voiced their agreement.

"He's right," Spencer agreed, his own eyes shut as his voice was quiet.

"At least it went better than..." Bridge yawned widely, and his eyes closed completely as his head rested against Annie's. "Than my dream..." he murmured.

"And we got a way cooler Megazord out of it," Z shifted, making herself more comfortable.

The doors slid open and Kayden walked in, putting his hand to his mouth to hide his laugh of amusement at the sight of the Rangers fast asleep together. Shaking his head, he grabbed his phone and snapped a picture of the group, knowing a few who'd find it just as funny as he did. His smile faded after a moment. They needed their rest. Grumm wasn't going to let up any time soon, and today was proof that he was getting more and more desperate to take over the planet.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Please review!**


	27. Nightmare

Chapter 27: Nightmare

 _Daggeron's blade clashed with Imperious' again, but this time he wrapped the chain around it, and yanked up. Imperious cried out as the sword was wrenched from his grasp, and clattered to the ground. He was knocked to the ground as Jenji cheered, but as Daggeron swung his sword down to end it, Imperious let out a laugh and cast a spell. The woman cried out as she was teleported to him, and Daggeron's blade stopped inches from her face._

 _"No!" he yelled out._

 _"Surprise!" Imperious laughed, and blasted Daggeron, getting to his feet as he lifted Daggeron into the air. He then tossed him to the ground, and Daggeron demorphed, groaning as Imperious laughed._

 _"Daggeron!" the one in Silver cried out as she struggled in the grasp of Imperious._

 _"Hey, you cheated!" Jenji yelled._

 _"Of course I did," Imperious scoffed as he glanced to the genie, and shoved the woman into him. The pair cried out as they tumbled to the ground, and Daggeron pushed himself up. "Do you think I care about fighting with honour?" he demanded as he returned to his mummy-like form. "That is for fools like you and Leánbow!" Imperious told Daggeron, whose grip on his sword tightened._

 _"You've learned nothing from him! I'd rather die with honour, than live without it!" Daggeron told him._

 _"So be it," Imperious blasted him with magic again, laughing as Daggeron cried out._

"Spencer!" the young man jolted awake, sitting up quickly. He blinked away the haze of sleep, and realised the alarm was blaring. Fumbling for his glasses, he slipped them on and slid out of bed. "Dude, just how asleep were you?" Kayden asked as Spencer tugged on his trousers and shirt. Without replying, Spencer headed out of his room, pulling his shoes on as he moved.

"What took you so long?" Jack asked with a raised eyebrow when Spencer entered the command centre.

"What's going on?" Spencer didn't bother to answer him as he pulled on his jacket. His gaze swept across the other Rangers, all of whom where as sloppily dressed, even Sky, and looked tired.

"Strange energy in the city," Kat reported as Kayden reached her, his hair on end. "Dark energy. It's off the charts," she frowned. "But it's different to anything I've seen before," she commented.

"Let's get out there guys," Jack called, and the Rangers ran out of the base as Kat and Kayden exchanged worried looks.

* * *

"How unusual. This place truly isn't how I remember it," the figure in gold and pale blue walked through town, looking around. The sun was only beginning to rise as he took in the sites. "That woman was right. It seems a long time has indeed passed," he mused. Hearing sirens, he looked around to see several vehicles coming towards him, and tilted his head, stopping. He watched as they dismounted their bikes and leapt from the jeep, approaching him.

"Stop right there!" Jack called.

"Oh? And are you the ones who are going to stop me?" he asked in amusement, tilting his head slightly.

"Hold on, guys," Spencer's eyes widened in alarm. "Imperious!" he realised, recognising the figure from his dreams. The golden armoured creature turned to him, surprised that someone knew him, and let out a snarl.

"You!" he was in front of Spencer in an instant, grabbing him by the throat and hauling him into the air. Spencer let out a choke, struggling in his grasp.

"Hey, stop!"

"Let him go!" the other Rangers tried to stop him, but Imperious waved a hand and blasted the ground, knocking them back. His appearance then changed, becoming like the mummy Spencer had seen in his dreams. "Who are you, boy? Those eyes. Your power...a Sun Mystic, how infuriating!" his fury was evident in his voice.

"I'm...Spencer...Bly," Spencer managed to say, barely able to breathe.

"I said let him go!" Jack fired his blaster, and the surprise of the hit caused Imperious to drop Spencer to the ground. The Gold Ranger landed on his feet before falling, gasping for breath. The others helped him back to his feet, drawing away from Imperious.

"Bly...that name is familiar," Imperious mused as he watched Spencer, not seeming threatened by the others.

"Spencer, how do you know this creep?" Annie asked as Spencer rubbed his throat.

"He fought my Gramps. I've been dreaming about him for months," he told them, his voice cracking. "My grandfather is Daggeron, my mother Meraki. That's why you find me familiar, Imperious," Spencer managed to say louder. Imperious let out a snarl and spat at the names.

"Of course. You blasted Sun Mystics, your blasted family, you are always in my way!" he raised his fan quickly.

"Guys, move!" Spencer yelled. The Rangers dove out of the way as he threw powerful dark magic at them.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers Morphed and ran to face Imperious, who laughed and vanished as they went to strike him.

"Where'd he go?" Jack called, looking around for any sign of their enemy.

"Be careful, he's got some seriously powerful magic," Spencer warned, looking around for any sign of him.

"Oh, at least you're a little _smarter_ than your mother," Imperious commented, appearing behind Sky. With a laugh, he flung out his fan, and tendrils of magic hauled the Blue Ranger into the air. Calling out a spell, he blasted him, and Sky landed hard, his suit smoking. He groaned, sparks flying off his suit dangerously.

"Sky!" Syd hurried to his side.

"Delta Blasters!" Jack blasted Imperious, who flicked his fan and deflected the blasts into Syd, making her cry out and fall beside Sky.

"Try this on for size!" Annie's hands sparked as she moved, calling on her powers of thunder. Imperious swatted it aside as if it were nothing. "What?" her eyes widened in horror.

"Annie!" Spencer raised a shield, blocking the black magic Imperious threw at her.

"I remember that pain of a power that that nuisance Gold Ranger had too," Imperious mused. "It's _pathetic_!" with another blast of magic, the shield was shattered and Spencer was thrown into the side of a building.

"No...it's not..." Spencer muttered, struggling to get back to his feet as Imperious tossed Z and Bridge through the air next, letting them land beside the others. Jack and Annie joined them shortly after, all of them overwhelmed by the powerful creature. "It's not pathetic! If Gramps can beat you, so can I!" Spencer got back to his feet and conjured a spell, firing golden magic at Imperious. The mummy-like wizard cast a spell of his own, countering the sun magic with his own and pushed him back. With a yell, Spencer pushed more power into it, but Imperious laughed and flicked his fan again, and the dark magic overwhelmed his own.

"Spencer!" Jack yelled as the Gold Ranger sank to the ground, his suit shattering. He fell forwards, resting on his arms and knees as he breathed heavily.

"It'd be rather poetic. To finally have my revenge on Daggeron like this. I failed to kill his daughter so many times, but his grandson...hah! Can't hold a candle to their powers," Imperious stood over him, surveying the weakened Ranger. "Even that guard dog of a Green Ranger stood up to me better," he shook his head. "This is too easy, it's not even fun for me," Imperious complained.

"How about this?" he whirled around as Kruger leapt through the air, slashing across his front with the Shadow Sabre.

"Omega Morpher, Electro Mode!" Imperious yelled as Sam blasted him off his feet. He landed on his side, rolling along the ground, before pushing himself up.

"I need more power...I will be back, and I'll finally have my revenge!" he declared. " _Luthar_!" a black spell seal appeared under him, and he disappeared as black smoke surrounded him.

"Spence, you alright?" Annie asked as Spencer didn't move. He didn't respond, his eyes clamped shut as he punched the ground furiously.

* * *

The Rangers stood in the base, all of them looking a little worse for wear after their battle. Despite their suits absorbing most of the damage, they were all sporting new injuries.

"That was brutal," Z commented as she rubbed her shoulder.

"You're telling me," Sky winced as he moved, a hand on his chest. He glanced up when Spencer approached, starting to glow. He put a hand to Sky's shoulder, and after a moment he felt the pain vanish. "Thanks," he said, and Spencer shrugged, turning away.

"Spencer, who was that guy?" Jack asked him. "You called him Imperious, and he seemed to know your family," he accused.

"I've never met him before," Spencer spoke softly.

"You said you dreamt about him," Syd remembered. He nodded.

"Imperious. Also known as Calindor," they looked around at Kayden as he and Bridge brought up footage.

"He was one of the big bads for the Mystic Force," Bridge told them, looking through the information. "Like, super powerful guy, weird fashion sense," he murmured.

"After that fight, I'd believe it," Annie folded her arms.

"But wouldn't he have been defeated back then?" Z asked.

"Yeah, says here he was defeated by Daggeron in a...bound battle," Bridge frowned.

"A what?" Sky looked just as baffled.

"It's a duel where the two opponents are attached at the wrists and can only fight with swords," Spencer's voice was still quiet as he explained it.

"Okay, what's with you? You're way too quiet," Annie told him, frowning at the Gold Ranger.

"This is my fight. I'm going back out there," he decided, turning to leave.

"What?" Jack frowned. "No way. We fight together," he told Spencer, who shook his head.

"Not this time," he walked out of the command centre, and the Rangers followed.

"Spencer, there's no way we're letting you try and fight that guy alone!" Syd told him, and he whirled around.

"You don't get it!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "That guy _humiliated_ me. I'm going to prove to him that I'm just as good as my family. He mocked me, and I'm not letting him get away with it," Spencer told them firmly, his fists clenched in his anger.

"And you don't seem to understand that we're a team, Spencer," Jack stood in front of him, looking up at the taller Ranger. "We're not letting you do this alone. You're not getting yourself killed trying to make a point!" he shouted.

"You going to order me?" Spencer demanded. Jack's eyes widened in surprise.

"There he is," they glanced to Annie, who was scowling. "Spencer with the wounded pride, acting out against his friends and trying to play the hero. You've got an ego, and any time it takes the slightest hit, you try and get yourself killed to fix it," she told him. Spencer felt his face burn.

"Don't try to analyse me, Annie, this doesn't concern you. None of you have any idea about this! This is my-" Spencer let out a pained cry as fingers grabbed his ear and twisted hard, forcing him down.

"Now I thought we'd gotten over you talking like this," the Rangers stared in surprise at the older man who looked down at Spencer with a disappointed look.

"Ow, Gramps, can you please-that hurts!" Spencer pleaded with Daggeron.

"Please excuse my grandson, he tends to say things he does not mean when his pride is wounded," the man looked up at the group, who were still staring, baffled at the sight.

"Um...sure?" Jack managed to say.

"Now if you'll excuse me, we have some things to discuss," with that, Daggeron turned, his grip still firm on Spencer's ear, and hauled him away.

"And you'll have to excuse Daggeron, he gets a tad worked up himself," they looked around to see Ari approach with Xander, and an older woman who bore a strong resemblance to Ari.

"What are you doing here?" Annie smiled at her godmother.

"Dark magic in the city. We picked it up in Rootcore," Althea explained.

"This is Althea, my mum, and the Lunar Knight," Ari introduced her to the Rangers. "And I'm guessing from how Spencer was acting, your battle didn't go well," she gathered.

"That's putting it lightly," Z shook her head with a sigh. "We got our butts handed to us, this guy was another level of strong," she complained.

"Ari, this guy knows you," Annie told her, and the woman raised an eyebrow. "It's a dude called Imperious," her words had an unexpected reaction on the three.

"Imperious?" Ari whispered, grabbing Xander's hand as he turned to her, looking worried.

"No..." Althea gasped, dropping the lamp in her hands. It floated, taking the Rangers by surprise.

"He's alive? How? He turned to dust in the bound battle with Daggeron 22 years ago!" the small head of a white cat peeked out as Ari ran a hand through her hair.

"This is probably the work of the same person who opened the Abyss of Evil," Ari hissed.

"Ari?" she blinked, and looked up to see Annie's worried expression.

"Imperious...let's just say he caused a lot of problems for our family," Ari managed a smile again.

"That's putting it lightly," Xander muttered.

"Is...that a cat?" Bridge's sudden question earned Ari's attention.

"Oh, sorry! This is Jenji, a cat genie," she smiled.

"Oh, sure, _now_ you remember I'm here too!" Jenji sniffed. "I'm sure you wouldn't have forgotten if I was Fireheart," he complained.

"You get distracted by a baby dragon for five minutes and he never lets you hear the end of it," Ari sighed. "I did apologise. Multiple times," she grumbled.

"I'm still hurt," Jenji sniffed.

"Children, enough," Althea scolded the pair, and the Rangers had to hide their grins of amusement.

"But if this dude has been, well, dust for so long, how come Spencer's been dreaming of him fighting his grandfather?" the three looked at Syd sharply when she asked.

"Spencer's dreamt of Imperious?" Ari asked, frowning. "That should be impossible, I never told him about that creep," she looked to her mother.

"Not me, I didn't say a word. I knew that was one story you didn't want to discuss," Althea raised her hands as Jenji's lamp floated in front of her. They looked at Xander, who frowned.

"I didn't say a word. I learned my lesson after telling them about when we accidentally let dark magic take over," Annie shivered, drawing closer to Bridge as he blinked, confused.

"Could have been another vision? Maybe of the future?" Sky suggested.

"Spencer's having visions? Okay, I need to speak to him," Ari sighed heavily.

"I'll do it. I can fill Daggeron in on Imperious' return and possibly stop him from lecturing Spencer until nightfall," Althea told her, turning and walking off with the grace of the Knight she had been trained to be.

"Looks like there's a lot to discuss," Ari turned back to the Rangers, and they nodded.

* * *

"You could have just _asked_ me to come with you!" Spencer snapped at Daggeron once they were outside in the quiet training grounds.

"Spencer Adam Bly, I will not tolerate you speaking like this," Daggeron was unfazed by his grandson's tantrum. "Not to me, nor your team. You may have taken a hit to your pride, but that does not give you the right to talk to anyone like that," he scolded.

"He said I was pathetic! That I couldn't hold a candle to your power, or mum's!" Spencer shouted back, furious at himself for getting worked up. To further his anger, tears stung at his eyes. "He said even dad was stronger than me, I-"

"Should be honoured to be as strong as your father!" Daggeron interrupted him, grasping him by the shoulder. "You seem to have this idea that Xander is weak, as if you haven't grown up listening to his stories as well as your mother's! He single-handedly saved a planet from starvation. He kept Ari safe over the years, he helped to defeat the Master! Spencer, your father is not weak and nor are you," Spencer's head was lowered as Daggeron told him this firmly. "Who is this creature, who you would let get into your head like this?" the Solaris Knight asked, his voice a little softer now.

"Imperious," Spencer lifted his head to see Daggeron's alarm.

"Imperious? That's impossible. I defeated him-"

"In a bound-battle, while Gran and Jenji watched," Daggeron's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, how did you-"

"In a dream, right Spencer?" they looked around as Althea approached. Spencer nodded.

"A dream?" Daggeron frowned, before his eyes widened. "Spencer, how long has this been happening?" he asked.

"A few months, right before the others became Rangers," the Gold Ranger admitted, rubbing his arm.

"And this has happened again since?" Daggeron asked.

"I didn't realise what it was until recently, when I saw Z in trouble. I was awake, and helping look for this kid in town, when I just...saw it," Spencer explained.

"I see. You should have come to me about this as soon as you realised. Visions are dangerous when untrained," Daggeron scolded him. Spencer frowned at him, wondering just what he meant. Daggeron then smiled slightly.

"It's something that was almost forgotten in the family," he looked to Althea when she smiled.

"What? My visions? Then why didn't..."

"Meraki doesn't know," Daggeron told him. "There hasn't been an Oracle in the family for close to 800 years," Spencer's eyes widened in alarm at the term.

"Oracle?! You mean like that guy in Briarwood?" he demanded. Daggeron nodded.

"There were once many Oracles, but the battle with the Master wiped out most," he explained. "It could be your mother's powers unlocked the ability within you. It could be you're special entirely by yourself. It could be the human in you, or the mix of Earth and Sun. We can never be certain. But Spencer, you've got a gift that you'll need to learn," Daggeron told him, looking proud. Spencer sighed heavily.

"Annie's going to torture me, she's always complaining about me having too many powers," he muttered, and both chuckled.

"That girl is definitely good at keeping you on the ground most of the time," Daggeron nodded.

"And for the rest of the time, you have us," Althea touched his arm gently. "Spencer, I understand you want to face Imperious alone because he is a Mystic problem. Because he's a family problem. But you need to know the full story, to realise that doing so would only lead to your own destruction. And it's not because you're weak," she said firmly when she saw his expression.

"Who is this guy?" Spencer asked, full of questions.

* * *

"Imperious was once known as Calindor," Ari told the Rangers as they gathered in the Command Centre. "He was actually on the side of good magic, and was Althea's best friend," she explained, taking them by surprise.

"Why'd he turn evil? And into that...mummy?" Bridge asked.

"It was during the great war, he figured that dark magic would win and that there was more power on that side," Xander explained. "Ari and our friend Nick, they were just babies at the time, and it was agreed that Daggeron would take them to this world to keep them safe. But Imperious got to him first," the Rangers were silent. Even Annie was, never having heard this.

"Daggeron and Imperious duelled, and their magic collided, cursing them both. Daggeron was turned into a frog, and Imperious became trapped as a gargoyle of sorts, and when he was freed, he had the form you see now," Ari turned to Imperious's hologram.

"Whoa, this is such a scary story," Syd whispered, and Ari chuckled.

"I thought so when I heard it the first time," she admitted. "Imperious hates our family. Sun magic users in particular aren't safe. Have you-"

"Chase and Teddie are at Rootcore with the others," Xander answered. Ari smiled at him, relieved.

"I'm telling you this because you need to understand that Imperious is an incredibly dangerous creature. His magic is powerful and he'll resort to any cheap tactic, including messing with your heads," Ari told the team.

"We'll stop him," Jack told her firmly, and she smiled.

"I know," she nodded, confident. "And I have an idea on how to help you do that," Ari grinned, and they exchanged looks.

* * *

"Ah, much better," Imperious sighed happily as he walked through New Tech City, fanning himself as he looked around. "Now those Rangers will perish and I'll finally have my revenge. Then, I can find Daggeron and Meraki and destroy them myself," he laughed.

"Not gonna happen!" he looked around just in time for Jack to blast him with his Delta Enforcer. He stumbled, crying out in alarm, but managed to stay on his feet.

"Back for more? You're just as desperate for destruction as the other Rangers!" Imperious scoffed as the Rangers stood in front of him.

"Is that why you were the one destroyed?" his eyes widened at the familiar voice, before vines burst from the ground and wrapped around him. He was hauled into the air, struggling in the grasp of the thick vines, before turning to see Xander nearby, his hands glowing green.

"You! I told you before, your magic is best for children's parties!" Imperious broke free and blasted Xander, who dodged the blow. "Seeking the help of the Mystics now? I can see you really are pathetic," Imperious mocked, glancing to Spencer. The Gold Ranger didn't react.

"Nothing wrong with a little help now and again," Imperious gave a small chuckle.

"And there she is," he turned to Ari as she approached him. "The Sun who empowers the Light. Did you bring Bowen with you to help you win this fight?" he asked mockingly. Ari just gave a small laugh.

"You wish it was that easy. You've got me, and them," she told him.

"You? You can't even fight me! Just look!" he raised his arms and his appearance changed, taking on the form of his Ancient Mystic Mode. Ari visibly tensed. Even now, after so long, she couldn't deny her fear.

"You might have had that power over me before Imperious, but not any more," Ari shook her head. "I won't let you win just because of my fears. After all, that was one of my tests," she grinned, and her own armour surrounded her.

"What?!" Imperious was unable to hide his horror as he took in her new appearance. Gold and silver armour with wings down the sides of the helmet, boots and arm braces. The Mystic symbol of the Sun across her chest seemed to glow. "No, you _can't_ be!" he gasped.

"Oh yeah. I am," Ari held out her hands, and glowing light slammed into Imperious, surrounding him as he cried.

"No! You are not more powerful than me and her combined!" Ari's smile fell very slightly at his words, but she pushed, and after a moment, Imperious screamed, and the shockwave threw everyone back. Ari got back up, but fell to one knee, her suit shattering as Imperious gasped for breath, getting up as his body smoked. "What have you done?!" he roared as Xander helped Ari back to her feet.

"She sealed your power!" Imperious turned around and growled at the Rangers as they approached.

"Give up, you're under arrest!" Jack shouted to the creature.

"Never!" Imperious rushed at them, swinging his fan to strike them. The Rangers dodged his blows and kicked him back, and Syd blasted him with her enforcer. With a cry, Imperious was tossed to the ground, clutching his chest in pain.

"You're under arrest for threatening this city, assault on SPD officers, and on civilians," Spencer called as he flipped his Morpher open. "Judgement mode!"

"What?!" Imperious demanded as the light changed between red and green. After a moment, it flashed red, remaining as a cross.

"Guilty! Delta Enforcer, Confinement Mode!" the Rangers aimed their blasters as their suits lit up in their respective colours. "Power up!"

"Ready!"

"Activate!" they blasted Imperious with their Enforcers, and he cried out again as he was struck by the blows. When the smoke cleared, the containment card clattered to the ground.

"Let me out of here!" Imperious roared, banging on his prison.

"Not a chance," Jack grinned, clapping Spencer on the shoulder as he lifted the card.

* * *

"Thanks...for helping out today," Spencer rubbed his arm awkwardly.

"Like we'd let you go it alone," Xander shook his head. "You said it, it's a family problem," Spencer went red and stared at the ground.

"Yeah...I need to apologise to them for that," he shrugged.

"Ah, so you _do_ learn," Daggeron teased him. Spencer blushed even deeper.

"At least we know Imperious has been dealt with and won't be coming back this time," Althea spared her grandson more teasing. The others nodded, relieved as well. Spencer still didn't understand the full story behind them and Imperious, but was glad for the help.

"We should probably leave before we cramp his style any more," Ari grinned. "And I got a demo in Amber Beach this evening, so I should probably head there," she remembered.

"And I left Phineas in charge..." Xander looked uncertain on if this had been a good idea. Not that Spencer blamed him in the slightest.

"Keep in touch, okay Spencer?" Ari hugged him. "And let us know about any more of those visions of yours, okay?" she asked, resting her hands on her hips.

"Sure," he nodded.

"Say goodbye to your team from us!" Ari called, waving as they headed out. Spencer waved back with a grin.

"More powers, nothing about that kid is normal," Xander complained.

"Yeah, he's got your ego," Ari retorted. Daggeron resisted a snort. That was an understatement. "But being an oracle was not something I expected. Thanks for the heads up," the Sun Mystic shot her father a dirty look.

"It's hardly as if I saw it coming!" the Knight defended.

* * *

Walking into the command centre, Spencer cleared his throat as the other Rangers glanced around at him.

"Hey guys, I'm..." Spencer sighed. "I'm sorry for being a jerk earlier," he apologised. They watched him as he looked guilty. "It's just like Annie said. My pride took a hit and I took it out on you guys. I shouldn't have done that," he shook his head.

"Hey, nobody's perfect. Especially not you," Jack smirked at him. Spencer frowned at him.

"He's right," Annie laughed.

"I try to apologise and this is what I get," Spencer complained, throwing his hands in the air.

"Well yeah, we're not going to make it easy on you," Sky told him. Syd and Z nodded in agreement. Spencer sighed heavily.

"Great," he muttered.

"Hey, isn't it time for training?" Bridge asked, and the others glanced to him.

"So it is," Annie nodded, and her eyes gleamed as she looked at Spencer, who swallowed. "Come on guys, best get going," she called cheerfully. Spencer groaned.

"My head..." he whined, knowing just how training was going to go.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	28. Missing

**Didn't mean to go so long without an update, my bad. Got a new job and started playing Final Fantasy 14 so I've done nothing else the last two weeks.  
**

 **I hope you enjoy this!**

Chapter 28: Missing

Running through the industrial district, the Rangers pursued the criminal they'd tracked down.

' _Rangers be careful_ ,' Kruger warned, monitoring from the Command Centre. ' _Bork is a ruthless criminal. He left Alpha Sentori in ruins, and will have no problems with destroying Earth_ ,' he reminded them.

"Thanks for the warning Commander," Jack replied when they ducked behind the crates. "We're closing in on him now," he advised.

"Follow me!" Bridge suddenly leapt over the crate, showing off as the others rolled his eyes. Spencer shook his head.

"As long as I don't have to do that," he muttered, and they followed the Green Ranger along.

"You know, I heard this Bork guy is wanted on like, a gajillion planets," Bridge commented as they moved along, keeping an eye out for any sign of the criminal.

"Oh, really? That many?" Annie asked dryly.

"12," the others turned to Spencer, who shrugged. "What? I read the report!" he defended.

"Nerd," Annie muttered.

"No sign of Bork, Commander," Sky reported.

'Keep searching, Rangers. Bork's energy reading is still showing him at that location,' Kruger ordered. 'Cadets, be careful, it looks as if we have lots of uninvited guests," he suddenly warned.

"We're on it Commander," Jack nodded. They stopped, looking around for anything.

"I've got nothing," Sam shook his head.

"Well keep looking! Kruger said he was here, and Troobians too," Jack told them.

"If we split up, we could cover more territory," Sky suggested.

"Good idea. We'll split up and meet back here in 15," Jack ordered.

"Right!" the Rangers took off in different directions.

* * *

"Come on...something has got to be out of the ordinary here," Spencer muttered as he looked around for any sign of Bork.

'No sign of anything on the west dock, but I'm still looking,' Bridge's voice crackled over their intercom. Spencer sighed, but as he went to report the same, Bridge spoke again. 'Hold on, there's Bork! I'm going in!" he shouted suddenly.

"Bridge no! Wait for us!" Jack called, but he didn't respond. Groaning, Spencer turned and started running again, heading towards the west dock. Meeting up with the other Rangers on the way, they raced towards the docks. "This way guys!" Jack yelled, leading the way. They skidded to a stop when they found the place deserted. "Bridge!" Jack yelled.

"Bridge?" Sky and Annie both called, looking around.

"Where are you?" Syd called, but there was no response.

* * *

"Will someone please explain what happened out there?" Kruger demanded as the Rangers reported back to base.

"I take full responsibility Sir," Jack stepped forward. "I ordered that the team split up and search individually," he told Kruger, who was pacing.

"Sir, I made the suggestion that we split up," Sky admitted as he stood beside Jack. "If I hadn't said anything, he might not have given that order," the Blue Ranger said as Kayden glanced around from the computer, which was scanning the city.

"I appreciate you taking responsibility, cadets. But the suggestion and the order were good ones," Kruger told them, as gently as the Commander could be. "The job we do has many consequences, and a Ranger missing in action is one of those consequences," he said. "Kat?" he glanced to the doctor.

"I've scanned a 200 mile radius, but I haven't been able to pick up on Bridge's communicator signal," she shook her head as she folded her arms. "I'm really worried," she admitted.

"We're all worried about him, Kat. But worrying doesn't help," Kruger told her bluntly. "We need to take action," he said.

"I might be able to help, sir," they glanced to Kayden, who flushed a little. "Rangers emit a different energy to normal people, it's their connection to the Morphin' Grid," he explained. "I kinda tinkered with one of the systems and it's scanning for any sign. I can't make any promises though, I didn't have an opportunity to test it," Kayden admitted.

"Excellent work Bradley," Kruger nodded his approval and Kayden flushed darker at the praise.

"Thanks, but it would probably help to have more than just Annie and Spencer out on the streets. Ninjas they may be, but they're far from mastery," the Water Ninja added.

"I'll go," Jack immediately volunteered.

"So will I," Sky nodded.

"Jack, I want you to search for Bridge," Kruger decided. "Do not come back until you find him," he ordered.

"I don't plan on it, Sir," Jack nodded.

"Sky, you will lead the others on a search for Bork. Recall Annie to help," Kruger turned to the Blue Ranger. Sky frowned a little at the second part. " She is best suited for a fight, and I believe you are going to need it," the Commander told him. "Do what you have to do to find him. Whatever it takes," he ordered. Sky nodded.

"Yes sir!" the two saluted.

"Time is of the essence, Rangers. Your fellow Cadet is counting on you," Kruger called as the two ran off. Kayden sighed and glanced to Kat, who looked as worried as he felt. Kruger let out a growl, turning away.

* * *

Singing to himself as he cleaned out a glass bowl with his sleeve, Piggy barely registered the crack of thunder above. It had been stormy for the last hour, despite the mild sky above. Still singing, Piggy turned, and let out a cry as he saw Sky's distorted face through the glass. He dropped the bowl, and the Blue Ranger caught it.

"You scared me," Piggy complained.

"Sorry," Sky sighed.

"Sorry?" Piggy frowned, knowing something was up instantly. "Did you just say sorry? You said you're sorry! You must want something," he accused as he moved around Sky nervously. "Hey! How come Mr. Snowball always wears his costume?" he asked. "He's beginning to freak me out as much as Mr. and Mrs. Glare-a-lot here!" he complained.

"How about you quit whining and tell us where Bork is?" Annie snapped at him, not in the mood for his theatrics.

"Creamed Bork? Pickled Bork?" Piggy continued working as he spoke.

"How about galactic felon Bork?" Syd asked him as the sky rumbled again.

"Uh...I don't know what you're talking about," Piggy said quickly.

"Yes you do! No games, Piggy," Sam warned.

"Oh, he talks!" Piggy gasped, not threatened by him in the slightest. "Something big must be going down," he commented idly. "The well-being of the planet? Dare I say, the Galaxy, is at stake?" they didn't answer. "So what's in it for me?" he asked.

"Nothing," Syd told him. Piggy rolled his eyes.

"Okay, how about this? You tell us where Bork is, and I don't rip your head from your shoulders," Annie threatened him in a growl, grabbing the front of his shirt. She hauled him into the air easily, and he yelped.

"Now hold on a second!" Piggy struggled in her grasp. "You can't do that! You're SPD, the good guys," he reminded her.

"I'm inclined to agree with Annie on this one," Sky, who was standing behind him, just folded his arms.

"As tempting as that is, we're better than Grumm and his goons," Z reminded them, pulling Piggy from Annie's grasp. Thunder boomed overhead again. "Look, what I'm about to tell you Piggy, it's top secret. You don't say a word," the Yellow Ranger said as Annie scoffed and turned away.

"Moi?" Piggy pointed at himself, pretending to look insulted.

"Piggy!" Z snapped. "Bridge as taken by Bork, okay? He's in a lot of danger," she confessed.

"Oh no, not Bridge! He's the one of you I dislike the least!" Piggy rolled his eyes and turned away, only to walk into Sky. "Hello..." he muttered, and sighed. "Alright. Word on the street is Bork hangs out around Dock 19," Piggy told them.

"Dock 19?" Z repeated.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Got it. Thanks Piggy," Z said as they began to walk away.

"If you're lying, Piggy," Annie smiled dangerously, and Piggy swallowed, fear settling in his stomach. "Well, you'll see why the stories about Ninjas are true," she turned and followed the others away.

* * *

The SPD van pulled up as Spencer rode towards it on his bike. Jack popped out of the top, turning to the Gold Ranger.

"Any sign?" he called down.

"Not a trace," Spencer shook his head. "Any word from the others?" he asked.

"They're headed to Dock 19. Bork likes to hang there apparently," Jack explained, and glanced around. "Just where the heck is he keeping him?" he wondered.

"Annie join the others okay?" Spencer asked, having heard the thunder around town.

"Yeah, there was even only minimal cursing," were the situation not so dire, Spencer would have laughed at that. He couldn't deny his surprise that Annie had agreed to do so. "Hey Spence, what about that thing you did when Wootox got loose in the base?" Jack remembered suddenly.

"Thing? Oh, the tracker spell?" Spencer realised. He then shook his head. "Sorry, it's not my strongest spell. It'd only work if Bridge was within a certain distance, like Wootox was," he explained. Jack sighed heavily. "Sorry dude. I mean, if you need a light or like, invisibility, I'm your guy," the Gold Ranger shrugged.

"We better get back to looking," Jack decided, and Spencer nodded. As Jack disappeared back into the van, Spencer revved the engine of his bike and raced off again.

"Come on Bridge...where are you?" Spencer sighed as he kept searching.

* * *

Bork walked through the city square, hands behind his head as he chuckled to himself.

"You want me Rangers? Well here I am!" Bork goaded, before spinning suddenly to avoid the blast that hit the ground where he'd been standing. He looked up to see Syd, Z, Sky, Sam and Annie leap through the air Morphed. "Can I help you Rangers?" he asked with a smirk.

"We're here for Bridge, and to bring you in!" Syd told him firmly.

"I see," Bork nodded thoughtfully. "Then apparently, you're going to end up disappointed. And your friend's time is almost through. Good luck!" he laughed.

"We don't need luck!" Sky growled.

"That's where you're wrong!" Bork shook his head at him. "For you see, I am the ultimate master!" he laughed loudly.

"Oh please," Annie rolled his eyes.

"I'll show you!" Bork suddenly pushed into the air, throwing a kick that sent Sky sprawling to the ground. Sam swung a punch, but Bork dodged and shoved him. The Omega Ranger was spun, letting out a cry as he stumbled. He kicked Z backwards as she swung her sword, before catching Annie's punch. Annie pulled back and threw another, spinning and kicking out at him.

"Oh, a Thunder Ninja," Bork commented as he caught her ankle. "I haven't destroyed one of them in a while!" he laughed and hauled her through the air, and the Silver Ranger landed beside Sky. They quickly got back to their feet and continued to attack Bork, but he was fast, easily dodging their moves and countering them. He caught Z's sword and pushed her back before kicking Sam in the stomach, and punched Annie so she stumbled back again. Syd leapt through the air, trying a different tactic, but Bork jumped up to meet her and struck her hard. The Pink Ranger crashed to the ground, her suit smoking as the others regrouped in front of her. "There's more!" he then blasted them as Syd got back to their feet, and they cried out as they blown back.

"This guy is strong..." Syd groaned as she rolled over.

* * *

"Any sign of anything Jack?" Spencer called as he slowed to a stop.

' _Nothing, What about you? Has Kayden had any luck?_ ' the Red Ranger responded immediately.

"I'm getting nothing around here," Spencer looked around; the thermal detection in his helmet not picking up anything. "Kayden's still working on it as well. It's a big city and the system is still experimental," he reminded the Red Ranger when he heard him curse.

' _I know, but we're looking for a needle in a haystack here_ ,' Jack complained.

"Probably more like a needle in a stack of needles," Spencer commented.

' _Shut up_ ,' Jack told him, and Spencer smiled very slightly.

' _Jack? Jack, are you there?_ ' their heads lifted as Bridge's voice echoed through the communication lines.

' _Bridge? You're alright! Where are you?_ ' Jack responded immediately.

' _In a room_ ,' Bridge responded simply, making both sigh.

' _Can you be a little more specific?_ ' the Red Ranger asked him in exasperation.

' _I'm afraid not. There's a small grill in the ceiling, but no windows and no doors_ ,' Bridge answered. " _If there was a door, I could just walk through it. If there was a window I could just_ -'

"What about sounds? What can you hear from outside?" Spencer asked, shaking his head slightly.

' _Oh, hey Spencer_!' the Gold Ranger sighed again at Bridge's bright greeting. ' _Um...I've heard a few sounds since I woke up. Okay...there was a church bell, and then a train. And then another train, then another train, then another train, then-_ '

' _Bridge_!' Jack snapped. ' _Newtech City train station, it's near a chuch!_ '

' _You know Jack...you are good_ ,' Bridge told him. ' _Oh, and I heard a fog horn, and a buzzer, kinda like..._ ' Bridge began to mimic a buzzing noise. Spencer shook his head, wondering just what drew Annie to the strange Green Ranger. ' _Wait! I just heard a growl...oh, that was just my stomach, I'm a little hungry,_ ' Bridge admitted.

"I'll let Kayden know, it might be able to narrow down the location," Spencer told them, switching channels. "Kayden, you there?" he called.

' _What's up Spence? Any luck_?' the Water Ninja responded instantly.

"Got communication from Bridge. He seems alright, but has no idea where he is," Spencer told him quickly. "We think he's near Newtech City train station, he can hear a church, trains, a fog horn, and a buzzer," he told his friend.

' _Great, I'll narrow down the co-ordinates_ ,' Kayden nodded.

' _Spencer, I want you to leave the search to Jack_ ,' Spencer frowned at Kruger's sudden order. ' _Bork is a formidable opponent and the others need help. Go_!' he ordered.

"Yes sir!" Spencer took off towards the docks.

* * *

Bork was still easily overwhelming the Rangers, tossing them around like ragdolls and laughing. He caught Sam's punch, and threw him over his head. The Omega Ranger landed with the others, all of them breathing heavily.

"You see why I am the ultimate master! Now witness my ultimate power!" Bork declared.

"What's he talking about?" Annie frowned as she pushed herself up.

"No idea," Sky shook his head. Bork grabbed his robes suddenly, and began to spin, before stopping in a strange stance.

"It is time!" his braid began to glow red, and he swung it.

"Get down!" Sky yelled, pushing the others down. The braid grew, and cut through the pillars behind them easily.

"You got lucky," Bork sniffed as the pillars collapsed. He cried out suddenly when a blast hit him from behind.

"Spencer!" Z called to the Gold Ranger, who was aiming his enforcer at Bork. The alien grunted, pushing himself up as his back stung from the blast.

"Heard you guys needed some help," Spencer nodded.

"Nobody likes a cheap shot," Bork snapped at him.

"Yeah? Well we aren't too partial to you kidnapping our own," Spencer retorted. "Guys, SWAT mode!" he called.

"Right!" Sky nodded. He, Syd, Z and Annie grabbed their Morphers.

"SPD SWAT Mode!" they called on the powerful gear. "Delta Enforcers!" they grabbed their blasters, and fired them at Bork as Spencer did the same. He cried out as he was blasted from two directions, and his braid was ripped from his head.

* * *

"Looks like the Rangers are doing a bit better now," Kayden commented as he glanced to the screen to watch them. When the computer systems suddenly beeped, he spun around quickly and grinned. "Jack, I got him!" he contacted the Red Ranger. "I'm sending you the co-ordinates," he typed on the computer quickly.

' _Great, thanks Kayden! I'm on my way there now_ ,' Jack responded, and Kayden's smile fell when the computer beeped again.

"Uh, Jack, be careful, there are a lot of Troobian energy signatures around there too," he warned.

' _Not a problem_!' Jack told him confidently.

"Excellent work Bradley," Kruger nodded his approval. Kayden blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It was thanks to Jack and Spencer getting a specific location. Who knows how long it would have taken without it," he shrugged.

"It's experimental software Kayden," Kat reminded him gently, looking relieved as she handed something to RIC. She smiled at the young man as RIC ran off with a loud bark. "It worked this well, you'll get it to be even better," she assured him.

"I hope so," Kayden nodded.

* * *

Bork crashed to the ground, completely overwhelmed by the firepower of the Rangers.

"Come on you!" Sam grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet.

"It's over!" Z declared as they aimed their blasters at him. "We have you now," Bork suddenly laughed at her words.

"Hah! You have nothing!" he told them, before crying out as Sam tightened his grip on his arm. "You will pay for that! As ultimate master, I am not accepting of your laws! I have no laws!" he declared.

"Wow, you're an arrogant one, aren't you?" Spencer lowered his blaster. "See, the bad thing for you is, we know where Bridge is," the others glanced to Spencer quickly for his words.

"What?!" Bork gasped, before composing himself. "You'll never reach him in time!" he declared. "Your Green friend has a pressing engagement right now," he laughed. He suddenly moved, striking Sam and forcing the Omega Ranger to release him. Bork leapt over their heads, and landed away from them. "You will be punished for angering the ultimate master!" he declared.

"Stop calling yourself that! It's so stupid!" Annie snapped at him.

"Hey Bork!" another voice called out.

"Ah," Bork smirked as the Rangers frowned, looking around for the voice.

"Broodwing!" Z spotted the bat standing on top of a building.

"How about a little help?" he laughed, and summoned a robot to the city. It landed with a resounding tremour, and the Rangers gulped. "With my compliments," Broodwing told him.

"You will be repaid handsomely, Broodwing," Bork told him, and leapt up into the robot. "Destroy them!"

"Kat! OmegaMax Cycle!" Sam requested. His Zord raced into view, and Sam jumped up into it. His Zord transformed into it's Megazord form and threw a punch, but the robot easily blocked it and slashed the OmegaMax Megazord. Sam cried out as he was thrown around, and as he righted himself, Bork's robot was blasted.

"Those pesky Rangers!" he roared angrily, looking up to see the Flyers heading towards him. They blasted him, before combining to form the SWAT Megazord. It landed on the ground, and rushed at the robot as Bork screamed. They easily overwhelmed him with strikes and blasts, tossing the Megazord to the ground.

"Hey! This one's all yours Bridge," Sam commented with a grin as their Megazords stood together.

"Thanks Sam! I got it!" the SWAT Megazord caught the robot and hurtled into space, tossing him away. The Megazord then transformed, turning into its Enforcer mode. "Lucky for you, we do have laws! And now you'll have to be accountable to them! Judgement!" Bridge's Morpher flashed, and Bork shrieked.

"No! I'm the Ultimate Master!" he yelled.

"I don't think that's going to matter," Bridge told him. The light then flashed red, and Bork shrieked again.

"Guilty! Prepare for containment!" the Rangers grabbed their Enforcers and swiped the containment card. "Ready! Fire!" they blasted the robot, and Bork screamed as his robot was destroyed. "Ultimate Master, not!" the Rangers laughed.

* * *

"Stupid Spencer," Annie complained as she rubbed her ankle, pouting to herself. It stung a little from the fight with Bork, and naturally Spencer had refused to heal their injuries, running off when they'd started up again, yelling something about not being a med kit.

"He's right you know," she glanced to Bridge as he stood beside her.

"You're not supposed to take his side," Annie straightened up and put her hands on her hips, looking insulted.

"I mean...he's wrong?" Bridge tried again, making Annie laugh.

"That's better," she nodded, before sighing and stepping closer to him. He grinned, leaning his forehead against hers as she rested her hands on his chest. "I'm glad you're alright," Annie murmured.

"Me too," he murmured, making her smile wider. He leaned in closer, kissing her gently. Her hands moved up and rested behind his neck as he pulled her even closer.

"Hey guys!" both sighed, but didn't pull away from one another as Spencer's voice echoed over. He approached, a hand over his eyes. "When you're done being gross, we're heading for dinner," he told them.

"He's like the annoying little brother," Annie muttered as she finally pulled away.

"I am kinda hungry," Bridge admitted, and she raised an eyebrow. "I mean...I'm not hungry?" he tried.

"Come on guys!" Jack called as he approached as well. "We're all starving," he grinned.

"He's still a brat you know," Annie gestured to Spencer, who lowered his hand and smiled innocently.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied, turning to leave with Jack. Annie rolled her eyes and glanced to Bridge, who took her hand as they followed the others.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	29. Insomnia

Chapter 29: Insomnia

"Just wait Sky," Annie flicked her hair over her shoulder as they walked through the SPD base. "I'll kick your butt next time," she warned. The Blue Ranger in question just grinned back at her confidently.

"Bring it," he challenged.

"Anyone else tired of them competing over the top spot and kicking out butts?" Z asked the others.

"Me," Spencer fixed his glasses as the two looked innocent.

"Me too," Syd nodded.

"Me three," Bridge spoke up. Annie and Sky glanced to each other, before smiling at the others.

"Then you should all, you know..."

"Get better," Sky smirked. The others rolled their eyes.

"Great, like we need the two of them working together," Jack complained, but his smile betrayed him.

"Like a hole in the head," Spencer chuckled.

"I can arrange that if you want?" Annie offered, and Spencer turned to her, walking backwards as he grinned.

"No thank you, I'm happy with my head as it is," he told her.

"Too bad," Annie shrugged.

"Hope can be a dangerous thing if you let it consume you," Kat's warning caught their attention, and they glanced around to see Kat and Kruger talking.

"Well I still haven't lost hope for the A-Squad," Kruger's words made the Rangers pause as they went to greet the two. "Sometimes I wonder...if I hadn't sent them off to the Helix Nebula, maybe we'd have defeated Grumm already," none of the Rangers spoke, turning and walking away silently as the Commander's comment echoed in their heads.

* * *

It was well after midnight and Spencer sighed as he turned over in his bed, still unable to even doze. Kayden's soft snores echoed from the bed beside his, as the Water Ninja slept, oblivious to the thoughts going through his friend's head. With a sigh, Spencer fumbled for his glasses and slipped out of bed silently, leaving the room.

He couldn't help but wonder if the Commander was right. A-Squad were the best of the best. They had been Kruger's pride and joy, saving the day from any number of criminals. But Spencer had thought that they'd at least proven themselves a little to the Commander.

Hearing a scream, he was jerked from his thoughts and rushed into the rec room to see Z glaring at Jack, who was sitting on the sofas.

"Is everything okay?" Spencer asked as they looked around at him.

"Yeah, Jack just thinks it's okay to sit in the dark and wait till you're holding a drink to speak," Z muttered.

"Oh..." Spencer blinked, glancing to Jack, who shrugged. "Can't sleep either?" he asked the pair, who shook their heads.

"No. Jack, what are you doing sitting in the dark?" Z asked him as she and Spencer took a seat.

"I let you all down," he shrugged, making them frown. "I'm the leader and I failed," Jack stared at his hands. Z and Spencer watched him silently. "Kruger was right. We should have defeated Grumm by now," he muttered.

"You kidding me Jack?" Spencer raised an eyebrow. "You realise that Grumm is one of the most dangerous criminals in the galaxy? The only ones who ever reached his status were ones like Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Admiral Malkor, or Lord Arcanon. He's powerful, and we've been handling his attempts to destroy the planet fine," he told Jack firmly. Jack gave a small, wry smile.

"Spencer is right Jack. Remember where we started from?" Z reminded him quietly.

* * *

 _"I'm sorry," Jack apologised to the old homeless woman, who had arrived late to see if anything was left to be given. "We don't have anything else to give out. Maybe tomorrow," he told her gently. She made an odd chirping noise, disappointed, and turned away, her head bowed. "Wait, wait," Jack suddenly called. Z rolled her eyes as he pulled off his hoody and handed it over. The alien gave another, much more grateful chirp as she walked away, clutching it thankfully._

 _"If we're gonna make a change, then we're gonna have to be part of something bigger!" Z insisted to Jack as he turned to her._

 _"Yeah, well, when you find something bigger, let me know!" Jack told her dubiously._

* * *

 _Running through the market clutching stolen clothes under their arms, Jack and Z laughed as they escaped the person yelling after them, only to stop abruptly when they came face-to-face with Sky, Syd and Bridge._

 _"Outta the way! We don't want to hurt you," Jack warned as they fell into fighting stances._

 _"Hurt us?" Sky raised an eyebrow at them._

 _Within minutes, Z and her clones had knocked Syd flying, as Bridge and Sky were floored by Jack as he phased through a wall._

* * *

 _"We're not doing as well as before bro," Z groaned. "Any suggestions?" she looked to him._

 _"Run?" Jack offered, and the two glanced at their opponents before sprinting off._

 _"Oh, I love when they try to run," Annie clapped her hands together as Spencer sighed. Glancing around, Jack frowned when it seemed like they weren't following. Laughing arrogantly, he turned and kept running with Z. They skidded to a stop when there was a clap of thunder and a flash of light, and the two appeared in front of them. "Nice try," Annie grinned as they stared in alarm._

 _"Cadet Tate, you want to take over here?" Spencer glanced to Sky as he, Bridge and Syd ran up behind the two thieves, just as surprised. Sky nodded, lifting his Morpher and holding it up in front of him._

 _"You're both accused of stealing and redistributing stolen goods," Sky told them._

 _"Guilty!"_

 _"Enough with the small-talk," Sky made to blast them, only for a strange figure with a large blue head to land between Z and Jack, and Sky, Syd and Bridge._

 _"What?" Spencer growled, before the stranger tossed a ball into the air. Nuts and bolts burst from it, and formed a group of creatures that surrounded the two groups of SPD Rangers._

* * *

 _Jack stopped, looking around as he heard an explosion behind him._

 _"They were really outnumbered back there," he reminded Z._

 _"They were trying to arrest us!" she snapped back. "Besides, it's not our fight!"_

 _However, they ended up returning to the battle, leaping through the air and kicking the Krybots and Blue-Head away from the Rangers._

* * *

 _Kruger stood in front of the two arrested thieves, giving them an ultimatum._

 _"You can serve your time in prison, or you can become part of something bigger. Something that makes a difference," the Commander offered._

 _"Can we think about this?"_

* * *

 _"We've got company!" Syd warned as a figure came from the entrance._

 _"It's Jack!" Z realised as he came into view._

 _"You guys need any help?" the young man grinned._

 _"Just a little," Spencer nodded. Jack lifted the Morpher in his hand._

 _"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Jack Morphed, to the surprise of the others. "SPD Red Ranger!" he leapt through the air, landing in front of the Blue Head. "Let's get this party started. SPD Red!"_

* * *

 _"You really wanna be my friend?" Sam asked slowly, staring up at the Yellow Ranger._

 _"I already am!" Z told him with a smile, and Sam ran to her, hugging her tightly._

* * *

 _"Come on team! Let's finish the job," Jack led his team outside, following the two criminals._

 _"Get up Stench!" Thresher yanked his partner to his feet._

 _"You have nowhere to run!" Jack called as the Rangers reached them._

 _"Oh, we're not running!" Thresher fired a blast that the Rangers rolled to avoid, and they blasted the two with their enforcers, throwing them to the ground._

* * *

"Okay, so we whipped some alien thugs. So why does Kruger think he'd be better with A-Squad?" Jack challenged the pair.

"Because he's right," they looked around to see Sky walk in. "The A-Squad was the tightest, most disciplined team in the whole Academy," he stated.

"They were the best of the best. Kruger's pride and joy. There wasn't a battle they couldn't win," Spencer nodded in agreement.

"As a team, we haven't exactly always been on the same page," Sky added. "And it's mostly my fault," he admitted.

* * *

 _"Uh Sir...seems there was a mistake...I was given the Blue Ranger – I thought-"_

 _"There was no mistake," Commander Kruger cut Sky off firmly._

 _"Let it go, Sky," Syd told him quickly._

 _"But Sir!" Sky ignored her. "I know it would have made a difference fighting those goons," he insisted._

* * *

 _"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Jack Morphed, to the surprise of the others. "SPD Red Ranger!" he leapt through the air, landing in front of the Blue Head. "Let's get this party started. SPD Red!"_

 _"You've gotta be kidding me! He's the Red Ranger?!" Sky demanded furiously._

* * *

 _"Don't," Sky hissed at her. "He has no business being Red Ranger, but Kruger picked him. We have to answer to him," the Ranger warned her._

 _"Exactly," Jack nodded, but not before shooting Sky a glare. "It says right here that the Red Ranger's order are absolute. You cannot-hey!" he cried when Annie snatched the book from him._

 _"Spencer?" her voice was just as tense as her body._

 _"You may be the Red Ranger," Spencer held up a hand, and lit up an energy ball. Annie threw the book into the air, and the ball slammed into it, disintegrating it instantly. "But you're no leader," his expression hadn't changed, controlled and the complete opposite of the young woman beside him._

* * *

 _"We'd have caught that guy if we'd formed the Megazord right away!" Sky insisted as he and Jack walked through the base arguing._

 _"You don't know that Sky!" Jack shook his head._

 _"Actually, I believe I do," Sky growled._

 _"Really?" the doors opened again, and they looked around to see Jack and Sky walk in. "Well maybe if you spent more time with the team, you could enlighten us!" Jack told Sky, who rolled his eyes and scoffed loudly._

 _"This coming from the guy who used to order us around like he was our boss?" he challenged._

 _"What? Hey, I was just trying-"_

 _"That's enough," they stopped, seeming to finally realise that they weren't alone, as Kat spoke up. "Fight the enemy. Not each other," the genius told them, looking angry at them._

* * *

"Okay, it's true, we had our differences," Z agreed.

"But we were all to blame. It wasn't just you Sky," Spencer fixed his glasses as Sky paced. "I know Annie and I weren't very accepting at first, I mean before you guys joined us, we were the only ones who were the B-Squad Rangers. We were a little arrogant," he admitted.

* * *

 _"Wonder what's going on now," Annie wondered as she zipped up her jacket. "Maybe it's about those other three in B-Squad," she mused aloud. "Maybe they're finally getting elevated to our level," she winked to Spencer, who rolled his eyes._

 _"Doubt it," he shook his head. "They aren't ready to be Rangers. They let those thieves get away yesterday," Annie rolled her eyes._

 _"Anyone would have been surprised that those two had weird powers," Annie defended. Commander Kruger had briefed them on what the other three members of B-Squad had gotten up to that morning._

 _"We wouldn't have," Spencer muttered._

 _"We're different Spence, you know that," Annie reminded him. Spencer didn't answer. "But you're right, they're probably not ready to be Rangers. They don't even get on with each other," she chuckled to herself, and they finally arrived at the command centre._

* * *

 _"Okay, don't get me wrong," Spencer started as he hit buttons furiously on the controller in his hand. "Nobody's really filled Jack in on his position as Red Ranger here," he groaned as his character was knocked to the ground. "But he should have at least read up on it himself. I mean it's been what...three days?" Spencer glanced to Annie, who was smirking victoriously at yet another win._

 _"I think Sky's just as much at fault here. He's clashing with Jack and the two of them aren't doing their jobs. Instead of helping us, they were arguing amongst themselves," the blonde reminded him. Spencer sighed, adjusting his glasses._

 _"We aren't a team, we're a mess," he complained, and Annie set down the controller._

 _"Okay, then let's fix that," she decided, getting to her feet. "Come on. We're gonna spend some quality time with the team," Annie told him. Spencer arched an eyebrow, getting to his feet_

* * *

 _"Hey Spencer, are you going to do any work? Or just sit there?" Sky asked, noticing the Gold Ranger in the corner as they worked on locating the building._

 _"Shove it, Sky," Spencer muttered as he kept his eyes closed. Sky glared at him, but kept focus on the computer in front of him._

 _"Any trace?" Annie whispered as she approached. Spencer's green eyes opened, and he sighed, shaking his head._

 _"Not an ounce of magic in the area. I didn't sense any at the time either, so whatever this dude did, it wasn't a magical thing," Spencer told her. Annie frowned._

 _"Then how did he just move a building?" she wondered. Spencer shrugged._

 _"Are you two done whispering?" Annie scowled at Sky as he spoke again._

 _"What's your problem? Do you need a hug?" she demanded, fed up of his snippy attitude._

* * *

 _"This is my fight. I'm going back out there," he decided, turning to leave._

 _"What?" Jack frowned. "No way. We fight together," he told Spencer, who shook his head._

 _"Not this time," he walked out of the command centre, and the Rangers followed._

 _"Spencer, there's no way we're letting you try and fight that guy alone!" Syd told him, and he whirled around._

 _"You don't get it!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "That guy humiliated me. I'm going to prove to him that I'm just as good as my family. He mocked me, and I'm not letting him get away with it," Spencer told them firmly, his fists clenched in his anger._

 _"And you don't seem to understand that we're a team, Spencer," Jack stood in front of him, looking up at the taller Ranger. "We're not letting you do this alone. You're not getting yourself killed trying to make a point!" he shouted._

 _"You going to order me?" Spencer demanded. Jack's eyes widened in surprise._

 _"There he is," they glanced to Annie, who was scowling. "Spencer with the wounded pride, acting out against his friends and trying to play the hero. You've got an ego, and any time it takes the slightest hit, you try and get yourself killed to fix it," she told him. Spencer felt his face burn._

 _"Don't try to analyse me, Annie, this doesn't concern you. None of you have any idea about this! This is my-" Spencer let out a pained cry as fingers grabbed his ear and twisted hard, forcing him down._

* * *

"Okay, yeah, like you said, none of us really worked at first to try and keep the team going," Z agreed. "But we got there in the end, when it really mattered," she pointed out.

* * *

 _"Guys," realisation dawned on Jack's face. "This has gotta be one of Silverback's plans," he told them. "He wanted us to all be together," he smiled._

 _"You know what?" Sky caught his breath slowly. "When I was running, I realised, so do I," he admitted. Syd smiled as he took her hand. "I want us to be together as Power Rangers. And as friends," he told them._

 _"And the fact we all came running, I think it's safe to say we all do," Spencer nodded with a smile of his own._

 _"I wanna apologise," Sky spoke up again as they all nodded._

 _"I'm sorry," Syd and Z chimed._

 _"Me too," Jack nodded._

 _"Me three," Bridge grinned._

 _"I guess I was kind of a jerk. Sorry guys," Annie shrugged._

 _"Just 'kind of'?" Spencer grinned, and laughed when she punched him. "Kidding. I was too. Sorry," he put his arm around Annie, who elbowed him with a smile._

 _"Urgh, let's not make this into a group hug, shall we?" she asked, making them laugh._

* * *

 _"Ready team?" Jack called._

 _"Ready sir!" the others nodded, and Jack's Zord lifted Z and Syd's into the air, trying to join with them._

 _"Are you sure this'll work?" Syd asked dubiously._

 _"Knowing Jack, he'll make it work," Z nodded, confident in her best friend. The three Zords then combined together._

 _"Let's show him how it's done!" Sky called to Bridge as he landed his Runner on the ground. Their Zords changed as well, allowing the others to connect to them and stand._

 _"Just wait for us!" Annie called, leaping over another building. Her Runner connected to the chest of the Megazord, and Spencer docked on the back. The Megazord adjusted, and they called on their blaster._

 _"Delta Squad Megazord!""Come on!" Jack challenged as they faced the robot. It fired more shots at them, but they easily dodged, blasting it back. They then managed to get up behind the robot, only for it to throw rubble at them, knocking them to the ground. Their blaster landed on the back of the robot._

 _"Okay, let's try the sword!" Bridge suggested. They called on the sword hidden in the leg, and slashed the robot. They flipped over it, grabbing their blaster._

 _"Let's get him!" Jack called._

 _"Right!" the others nodded. The lights flashed, and they aimed the blaster at their opponent._

 _"Seven!"_

 _"Six!"_

 _"Five!"_

 _"Four!"_

 _"Three!"_

 _"Two!"_

 _"One!"_

 _"Fire!" the Rangers blasted the robot several times, destroying it._

* * *

"Sure, we've had our moments," Sky agreed, still pacing around the room. "But as a team, I'm not convinced we can beat Grumm," he told them. "Are you?" he challenged the three, who remained silent.

"Well not with that attitude you can't," they jumped as Annie seemed to materialise behind them. "No-one's sleeping it seems," she commented, passing them and going to the machine, grabbing a drink before sitting down. Wearing a vest and shorts, she had a dark red hoody on over her pjs, with what looked like a worn, stuffed wolf in the pocket.

"Not when people seem intent on giving me a heart attack," Z grumbled. Annie just grinned at her.

"Let me guess, we're having a pity party?" she asked, and they glanced away. "Ah I'm not here to judge, I know I haven't been much help either," she shrugged.

* * *

 _"Well you can do one of two things," Annie said as she caught him in an arm-lock._

 _"What's that?" Spencer grunted as he slipped out of it and swung a kick at her side. Annie danced out of the way easily, not only used to his moves, but since they were just sparring, he was holding back a lot. They both were._

 _"You can forget about it," Annie threw a punch that he deflected with the back of his hand. "Or you can ask Daggeron," she said as he pushed in close. She then caught his arm as she dodged his punch. Moving around him, she caught his head and grinned._

 _The few others who were out training early looked around at a loud thud, and found Spencer on his back, his legs over his head as he groaned._

 _"You said you'd stop doing that..." he complained as he managed to move so he was lying flat on the mat. Annie couldn't help but laugh as she stood over him again._

 _"You were distracted, I couldn't help myself," she admitted, offering her hand again. Spencer glared up at her, not moving this time. "Aw, did I hurt your ego?" Annie teased him playfully._

* * *

 _"I'm going to go take a long shower. Sorry guys, but I'm skipping martial arts training," Annie told them._

 _"Hey, wait-"_

 _"Okay, two things," Annie turned back to Jack, her eyes blazing. In this distance, thunder rumbled, making Sky look around, his brow furrowing. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "First, I'll go if you can beat me in a sparring match," Jack hesitated, knowing her skills. Annie was the best of their team, seconded by Sky and Spencer. "Second, considering you've not attended a single training session since you found out you were our 'leader', you have no right to tell me I can't skip," with that, Annie spun around and stormed off._

 _"And with that," Spencer reached out and wiped his glasses on Jack's shirt, before putting them back on. "I'll see you in training," he smiled pleasantly, but there was a coldness behind it that made the Red Ranger shiver. He then walked off with Sky, leaving the Red Ranger watching them._

* * *

 _"Spencer, if you don't stop laughing," Annie growled when Spencer almost doubled over laughing. When he didn't stop, her eye twitched._

 _There was a loud crash, and Spencer's laughter turned to a cry of pain. Bridge looked up in alarm to see Annie pinning Spencer to the ground, her knee in the small of his back as she pressed his face to the ground. "Knock it off!" she snapped at him._

 _"That's more like it," Spencer managed to say, despite his face being pressed into the ground._

* * *

 _"Alright, what the hell was his problem?" Annie demanded as the Rangers reached the rec room, all of them annoyed._

 _"He's been cranky all week," Syd commented. "Maybe it's too much stress," she mused._

 _"Look, I'm not agreeing with the way he handled it, but technically the control room is..." Sky trailed off as he saw the expressions of the others. "You're right. It was a little uncalled for," he agreed._

 _"It was more than a little uncalled for," Annie growled. "Yeah I get he's our boss and all, but he had no right to speak to us like that," thunder boomed outside, making Syd jump, edging closer to Sky as he looked outside, not seeing a cloud anywhere._

 _"Breathe Annie," Spencer spoke, completely unfazed by it. Annie huffed, but took a breath anyway. The rumbling stopped abruptly._

* * *

 _A pained yell echoed through the base, and the rest of the Rangers, who had been eating dinner, exchanged looks and hurried outside of the rec room to find Annie pinning Kayden to the ground, pressing his face into the ground as he laughed loudly._

 _"You do realise you're not supposed to fight out here, right?" Sky asked as he looked down the two._

 _"He started it," Annie growled. "Stop laughing!" she told her cousin._

 _"Dude, the only time I've seen Annie like this..." Spencer groaned and put a hand to his face. "Really Kayden? You called her that?" he demanded._

 _"Called her what?" Syd asked curiously._

 _"Nothing!" Annie snapped as Kayden continued to laugh, despite his position._

* * *

 _"Would you ever relax Spence? You're going to burn yourself out," Annie rolled her eyes when she saw._

 _"Maybe if you focused on more than just putting people on their asses, you'd improve in the other parts of the academy," Spencer said coolly. The others inhaled as Annie's cheeks went red._

 _"And maybe if you focused less on being a smart arse all the time, you'd be able to take me in a fight after 18 years," another quiet 'ooh' echoed as Spencer shut his book with a snap._

 _"Perhaps I don't regard fighting as the best way to show I'm better," he met her gaze coolly._

 _"This doesn't sound like it's going to go the way Kruger wants it too," Z commented, keeping her eyes ahead as she heard Annie and Spencer's quiet arguing. There was suddenly a yell and a thud, and she looked around sharply to find Annie and Spencer wrestling on the ground, yelling abuse at each other._

 _"Guys come on!" Jack shouted, but was laughing as Spencer pushed Annie back, trying to see as his glasses, as well as his book, went skittering across the floor._

 _"Come on Annabelle, prove me right!" Spencer goaded._

 _"Don't call me that!" Spencer let out a howl as she grabbed a fistful of his hair._

* * *

Spencer rubbed his head, messing up his tossed hair even more, and glanced around as Bridge walked through, yawning widely as he grabbed a cupcake from the machine.

"Bridge? Why are you eating a cupcake in the middle of the night?" Sky couldn't help but laugh.

"I always eat when I'm responsible for the end of the world," Bridge shrugged.

* * *

 _"Bridge, do you have to talk with your mouth full?" Z complained irritably, having gone back to her book._

 _"Toast!" he smiled brightly, as if this solved everything. "Want some? It's buttery," he wiggled his fingers by his mouth._

 _"Buttery?" Z and Spencer chorused, mimicking him._

 _"Buttery," Bridge nodded, doing it again._

* * *

 _"I doubt as weird as Bridge sniffing a dog," she commented._

 _"I don't know...wait, what?" Spencer peeked out and saw Bridge sniffing the dog owned by the witness, before he was hauled to his feet by Jack_

* * *

 _"What do you think Bridge?" Annie asked, glancing to the Green Ranger, who had been quiet since they had gotten back. He didn't answer, his back to them. "Bridge?" she called louder, and he glanced around._

 _"Oh, sorry guys, I was just reading," he turned around with a smile. "See all the cool artwork on the book? It made me think it was going to be a really great book! But it's not," he dropped it to the ground. "It's lame," he announced. "I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover," Bridge mused._

* * *

 _"Wait a minute!" Bridge gasped, turning abruptly to them. "What did the alien say he was after?" he asked them. When they all looked blank, Bridge turned and did a handstand against the wall._

* * *

"You can be a little odd Bridge," Jack admitted as the five Rangers did handstands as Bridge sat on the ground watching them, "But without you, we wouldn't have caught half those freaks," the Red Ranger pointed out.

* * *

 _"Sophie!" he realised, flipping back the right way up. "S-O-P-H-I-E? Series One Processor...?"_

 _"Hyper..."_

 _"Intelligence..."_

 _"Encrypter!"_

 _"We practically handed her to them," Bridge groaned._

* * *

 _"That's him!" they looked around at Diane as she stormed into view. "That's the alien I saw break into the bank!" she accused, pointing at T-Top. "Arrest him!" she yelled._

 _"But he's not guilty," Bridge shook his head._

 _"How is that possible?" Diane asked in amusement._

 _"You should know, you're the one who framed him!" Bridge accused. Her smile dropped and her eyebrow rose."Bridge, are you sure about that?" Jack asked him slowly._

 _"It makes sense," he glanced to Annie. "All the evidence Bridge found has led to her," she told them._

 _"And a lot of criminals try to insert themselves into the investigation to dodge suspicion, while keeping an eye on what we know," Spencer nodded._

 _"But her?" Jack asked reluctantly._

 _"Yep!" Bridge turned and walked over to a car, hauling it over his head before tossing it at Diane. She gasped, taking a step back as Jack let out a yell and ran to help. Her eyes then flashed red, before she changed appearance, raising her hand. A powerful jet of water burst from it, and cut through the car. It landed on either side of her, and she remained unharmed as Jack skidded to a stop, stunned._

 _"Oh no..." Hydrax gulped, realising her slip._

* * *

As they fell over, unable to remain upside down, Bridge couldn't help but smile slightly as they groaned.

"Okay, then whose fault is it?" he asked.

"Mine," they looked up as Syd walked in, curlers in her hair as she held Peanuts close. "I can't sleep, it just keeps swirling around in my head," she complained. "I'm gonna have bags tomorrow," she grumbled as everyone got up and walked over to the sofas. "I spend too much time thinking about me. Me, me, me," Syd pulled the curlers from her hair as she sat down. "I'm the reason we can't win," she told them.

* * *

 _"Peanuts!" Syd finally exclaimed._

 _"I'm all outta peanuts, but I got some toast, want some?" Bridge offered._

 _"It's buttery," Annie giggled, and Bridge nodded eagerly._

 _"No, Peanuts!" Syd exclaimed, sounding more and more upset. "You know, the stuffed animal I've had since I was five?" she demanded of her room-mate. Z gave a laugh._

 _"You've only had that thing for a year?" she asked with a smirk. The other three tried and failed miserably to hide their smiles._

 _"Very funny," Syd replied sarcastically, not impressed. "Now what did you do with him?" she demanded._

 _"I didn't take your Peanuts. End of conversation," Z told her firmly, going back to her book._

 _"But he's gone..." Syd's hostility faded, leaving her worry. "Who would have taken him?" she wondered as the doors opened behind her. RIC walked in, and the rooster noise he made caught their attention._

 _"Uh...Syd?" Spencer pointed behind her, and Syd gasped._

 _"No!" the Pink Ranger ran over to the robotic dog, who was carrying a toy elephant in his mouth. Z laughed in amusement as Syd fought to get her elephant back._

* * *

 _"Well if you ask me, he's been ready for the scrap heap for a while now," Syd shrugged, not bothered by the news._

 _"Syd!" Z stared at her. "That's cold, even for you," Syd frowned, not understanding as Spencer stared at the robotic dog who had been then before he'd started._

 _"You heard the Commander, he's outdated," Syd shrugged._

* * *

"Syd, you've taught us all how to be better Rangers," Z told her gently as Syd pulled her legs up and put her arms around them.

"Yeah, you've never given up on anything," Spencer nodded.

* * *

 _"Just a few more minutes," she told them, wiping the sweat from her face._

 _"I hate to say it, but he obviously wasn't able to trace the scent," Z said, shaking her head._

 _"We're not sure of that yet," Syd didn't look up from digging._

 _"We told you Syd," Bridge crouched beside her. "We didn't have enough time to test the program. He might still be kinda buggy," the Green Ranger warned, and RIC barked. Syd finally hesitated._

 _"But he seemed so sure," she looked up at RIC sadly._

 _"Well there's no use in all of us wasting our time out here," Sky pointed out. "Come on guys," he walked off, and Jack shook his head as Annie rolled her eyes. Jack and Z then followed the Blue Ranger back to their vehicles._

 _"Syd, how about we get RIC back to base, and when we test his systems to make sure they work, then he can try again?" Annie asked as she crouched beside the Pink Ranger as well._

 _"Come on RIC," Bridge called, and RIC whimpered, walking away with his tail between his legs and his head his glasses off as the rain made them unusable, Spencer watched Syd, whose pace hadn't slowed even once the downpour started._

 _"You can go back Spencer, I've got this," the Pink Ranger told him, not looking up._

 _"I'm not leaving you out here on your own," Spencer told her. Syd finally paused, looking up. Her face was flushed from overexertion._

 _"Why?" she frowned at him. Spencer grinned back as he put his glasses back on._

 _"For the same reason you didn't give up on RIC. You're so sure, so how can I not back you up?" the Gold Ranger shrugged. Syd stared at him for a moment, before the ground began to shake. Syd cried out as the ground beneath her suddenly gave way, and she fell down into a hole. "Syd!" Spencer peered in._

 _"I'm okay!" she called up. "But I can't see anything," Syd complained._

 _"Careful, I'm coming down," Syd moved aside, and Spencer landed easily beside her. He pulled off his soaked jacket, and he lit up, filling the room with light. "This power is pretty useful, huh?" Spencer grinned, and Syd nodded, her eyes wide. Even after seeing it before, it was still alarming to witness. "What is this place?" he wondered, and Syd looked around._

 _"Look!" she gasped, walking past him to the shelves full of the same green slime. "Oh my goodness...wow!" Syd lifted one of the containers as Spencer looked around. There were shelves full of the stuff. "I knew it! RIC was right!" Syd smiled brightly._

* * *

 _"You know Sky, it wasn't your fault," Syd told the Blue Ranger as they walked along the path._

 _"Yes it was Syd. Don't try to make me feel less guilty," Sky replied, not looking at her as he quickened his pace. She rolled her eyes and sped up to keep up with him._

 _"No it's not. Mirlok was cruel to play you like that. It's him who's to blame. Not you," she told him firmly. Sky didn't reply, and Syd sighed._

 _"Thanks," she almost missed his quiet word, which made her smile. Sky glanced to her and looked away as quickly, his cheeks warming as he saw her smile._

* * *

"I guess you're right," Syd smiled. "I am great," she decided, making them laugh quietly as Sky pulled her close.

"What if that's why Kruger became the Shadow Ranger?" they looked over at Annie, who was leaning against Bridge on the ground. "He didn't think we could do this ourselves?" she asked them.

* * *

 _"Who's that?" Syd gasped._

 _"There's only one person it could be," Spencer laughed._

 _"Look, his sword!" Syd realised._

 _"It's Kruger!" Jack laughed._

 _"Alright!"_

 _"Go Commander!"_

 _"You got this!" the Rangers cheered him on as Kruger turned to Benag, who was on the ground, badly beaten._

 _"It's Judgement Time!" Kruger grabbed his Morpher as Benag managed to get to his feet. "General Benag, you are charged with the obstruction of justice, and you will be judged!" he declared, activating it. The light flashed as Benag gasped. "You are charged with the destruction of five planets, and for atrocities around the galaxies," the light flashed red. "You are charged with the disappearance of Isinia Kruger, my wife!" it flashed again, turning green this time. "What?!" he gasped. Benag laughed._

 _"There is so much you do not know, Doggie Kruger," he taunted._

 _"Perhaps, but I do know where you are going," Kruger raised his Shadow Sabre. He swung it down, and rushed at Benag, slashing across him and making the General scream as he was trapped inside the container. "Justice prevails," he sheathed his sabre as the Rangers cheered. "I vow from this day on, to crush evil wherever it hides," Kruger vowed._

* * *

 _"Enough!" Kruger snapped at him. "I have never been more disappointed in a team in all my years," he growled, furious at them._

 _"Wow, that's a lot of years when you consider that one of my years is equivalent to-" Bridge was cut off when Annie's elbow caught his stomach. She shook her head quickly at him as Kruger growled, clearly not in the mood._

* * *

"I guess we all let Kruger down in our own way," Jack muttered.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Sky agreed.

"But I'd have thought we'd at least, you know, sorta made up for that by now," Spencer muttered, slumping down farther on the sofa.

"Guys, I have a question," they looked at Bridge when he spoke up. "Have any of you wondered why Grumm hasn't just destroyed Earth like he did Nelandia?" he asked, and they frowned.

"If Grumm can destroy Earth from orbit, why doesn't he?" Sky wondered as he stood up.

"Because he needs something," they glanced to Spencer when he stood as well. "Guys, think about it. All the stuff he's stolen," he looked around.

"Like the diamonds," Syd remembered.

"Wait a minute guys," Bridge was on his feet now too. "Grumm tried to steal that gold, remember?" they thought back to when Sam had first arrived. "I got it! Grumm's master plan is to open up a mega jewellery store!" he told them. The others sighed in exasperation.

"Somehow I don't think it's that," Spencer shook his head.

"He must be trying to build something. A new ship?" Z suggested.

"Out of gold?" Sky looked dubious. "It's way too soft a metal," he disregarded it.

"Iridium!" Spencer and Bridge chorused together. "He stole Iridium while we were in Japan, remember? It's a stabilising agent, it's used to harden metal," Spencer explained.

"So Grumm is stealing our resources to build something. And we know diamonds can be converted into energy, plus they're incredibly hard. Maybe some kind of weapon?" Annie suggested.

"A weapon of that magnitude, it would need something radioactive to power it," Sky shook his head.

"But a meteor went by not that long ago," Bridge told them. "Kayden mentioned something about it disappearing as it went by the planet. If Grumm got hold of a piece of it, the radioactivity it holds would be more than enough!" he realised.

"So Grumm has everything he needs to build...whatever he's building," Syd realised.

"Except a synthesising agent to put it all together," Jack walked over.

"Haemotech Plasma!" they all realised.

"Newtech Laboratory was raided last week," the Red Ranger said.

"This is bad. Grumm has an end game in mind and he's pretty much there," Annie ran a hand through her hair as they all stood together. "We need to tell the Commander," she decided.

"Tell me what?" they whirled around to see the Commander standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips as he watched them. After their moment of stunned silence, the Rangers all began to talk at once, rushing over to him. "Wait, slow down," he raised his hands, but they kept talking, and he sighed. "Rangers, silence!" the Commander snapped. Immediately they fell silent. "What is this about?" he asked.

"Sir, we heard what you said to Kat," Jack admitted. "You think if that the A-Squad was here, we would have already defeated Grumm," Kruger's eyes widened in surprise, before he shook his head with another sigh.

"Apparently you didn't eavesdrop on my conversation long enough," he told them. The Rangers frowned. "If you had, you would have heard Kat and I agree that if A-Squad was that good, they would not have fallen into Grumm's hands," they all inhaled quickly at his words. "As you haven't," Kruger pointed out. The Rangers couldn't help but agree. "Will that be all?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No Sir," Sky shook his head. "While we were...feeling sorry for ourselves, we realised that Grumm is using resources from this planet for something very large. It is our job as Rangers to protect the planet," the Blue Ranger stated.

"Yes. I too believe that Grumm is using our resources against us. The time has come to act," the Rangers smiled at his words. "But after you get some sleep," he decided.

"Yes sir," they nodded, feeling the energy fading quickly.

"And Rangers," Kruger called as they went to leave. "Make no mistake. The fate of the world rests in your hands," he reminded them. The Rangers were silent, knowing he was right.

* * *

 **Just a recap of the series, the next chapter is when it all kicks off!**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Please review!**


	30. Resurrection

**Didn't mean to go so long without an update, but I had to say goodbye to my cat Jazz, who I've had for over 16 years, and didn't go home for almost a week. I've had literally no desire to do anything, let alone write, but I'm starting to pull back now so hopefully I'll be able to update soon.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 30: Resurrection

Walking into the rec room, Kayden heard his name being called, and looked up from his tablet to see all of the Rangers, minus Jack and Sam, sitting there already.

"Oh, hey guys," he grinned at them.

"Working hard?" Z asked, seeing the device in his hand.

"Just monitoring some information that came in this morning," Kayden grabbed a bottle of water and took a seat beside the Yellow Ranger. She leaned over to take a look, and his cheeks coloured red. Spencer, noticing, rolled his eyes and went back to his card game with Sky.

"What information?" Annie asked as she looked up.

"A bounty hunter getting close to the galaxy, he's pretty dangerous," Kayden shrugged as he glanced to his cousin. "He'll probably just pass by, as far as I know Grumm is one bounty he won't try for," he chuckled.

"Good, I'm not up for handling another pain in the ass. Especially not a bounty hunter," Annie grumbled.

"What's your problem with bounty hunters?" Bridge asked her curiously as he got to his feet. "You didn't like T-Top either," he remembered. Spencer and Kayden couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, it's kinda like Spencer's problem with mag-" Sky immediately clapped a hand over Syd's mouth and she squeaked in surprise.

"It's from stories our parents told us, about this bounty hunter called Vexacus. He made Annie's mum mad," Kayden smirked as Spencer frowned at Syd.

"And that's bad?" Z guessed. Kayden snorted.

"Zoe once tried to put Hunter through a wall for making her mad," Kayden told them, and Annie punched him. He groaned, but kept laughing.

"Still glad we never saw her get like that," Spencer muttered. "Annie is bad enough," he grinned.

"I will hurt you," the Silver Ranger threatened. Spencer just winked at her.

"Does anyone want any toast?" Bridge asked as he brought over a stack of toast. "It's really buttery. Extra buttery," he said, wiggling his fingers.

"Bridge, why do you always wiggle your fingers when you say buttery?" Z asked him curiously, mimicking the gesture.

"No I don't," Bridge frowned, confused.

"Yeah you do," Annie giggled.

"He can't help himself," Sky glanced up from his cards with a small grin. "It's ingrained into his cellular make-up," he said, making the others laugh.

"That's ridiculous," Bridge shook his head. "I can say buttery-" he stopped when his fingers wiggled again. He glanced at the others, his own smile falling as they watched him with expectant looks. He leaned in, staring at his hand and bracing himself. "Buttery-" it happened again, and Z laughed with glee.

"I think Sky might be right," Kayden grinned as Bridge grabbed his wrist and glared at his offending hand. Sky shook his head and looked down at his cards again, smiling slightly.

"Buttery!" Bridge groaned when his fingers wiggled again. Syd, Annie and Z giggled as he looked up, his eyes going wide. "Maybe I can't..." he realised in horror.

"It's okay, we accept you even with your faults," Annie smiled at him, patting his shoulder. With a dejected sigh, Bridge lifted a piece of toast, but as he went to take a bite, they heard someone clear their throat. Glancing up, the group of seven immediately shot to their feet.

"At ease," Kruger nodded. The Rangers relaxed. "Rangers, these last few days have been uneventful. But I caution you, do not let your guard down," he warned them, and they nodded. "Something is brewing, I can feel it. Be at the ready," Kruger instructed.

"Yes sir," they confirmed.

"Where is Jack?" Kruger noticed their leader was missing.

"He's in the city," Syd answered. "He got bored and decided to go out," she explained.

"Very well. Carry on," the Commander nodded. The Rangers sat down again, and Kruger went to leave, before noticing Bridge pull the plate of toast closer. "Is that all yours, Carson?" he asked curiously. The others hid their smiles as Bridge looked up quickly.

"Uh...no sir, well, yeah, well I made some for everyone, but nobody wants any," Bridge explained. Kruger just blinked at him. "Do you want some toast? It's really butter-" Bridge grabbed his hand and forced it to his side. Annie lifted her book higher but her shoulders shook from laughter.

"I'll pass," Kruger told him, still looking thoroughly confused. He then turned and left, and the other Rangers were unable to hold in their laughter any longer as Bridge sighed, going red.

"I could do with not looking at the same walls all day," Syd suddenly decided when they'd calmed. "Come on, let's go for a walk," she turned to Sky.

"Sure, I've beaten Spencer enough anyway," he nodded, setting his cards down as Spencer rolled his eyes.

"I beat you almost as many times too you know," the Gold Ranger called as Sky took Syd's hand. The Blue Ranger just turned his head and smirked at him as they left. Spencer rolled his eyes and gathered up the cards.

"Oh, Spencer, my new issue of Extreme Upgrade arrived," Bridge remembered.

"Sweet. You up for getting that computer of yours ready to make the perfect toast?" Spencer grinned to him. Bridge's eyes gleamed, and the pair got to their feet.

"Hey nerds, wait up!" Annie rolled her eyes and followed them out.

"Any idea what that toast thing was about?" Kayden asked Z, who rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I've given up trying to understand them at this point," she told him. Kayden laughed. "I'd have figured you'd know," the Yellow Ranger commented.

"Nah, I'm good with engines and Kat helps with the rest," Kayden shook his head. "I've never been able to understand Spencer," he chuckled.

"And nobody understands Bridge...except maybe Annie," Z mused, making him laugh again.

"True. Definitely the weirdest couple I've seen," Kayden commented. It was then that he realised that they were alone in the rec room, and as if to confirm it, he glanced around. Z picked up on this as well, and her cheeks tinged red. "Hey, since it's pretty quiet, do you wanna-"

"Kayden!" the Water Ninja sighed, closing his eyes as Z bit her lip to hide her smile.

"Boom...I swear, you wait for the worst possible moment," Kayden turned to the nervous tech assistant. "What's up?" he asked, his smile returning.

"Sorry, Kat wants you back at the lab," Boom told him.

"Sure thing. I'll head back now," Kayden nodded, getting to his feet. Boom nodded and rushed back out to get back to his own work, and Kayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. "One day Z, I swear, we'll get that date," he promised her. The blush returned to her cheeks.

"Just don't keep me waiting," she grinned. He chuckled, and leaned down, kissing her as she pushed up.

"Never," Kayden vowed quietly as he pulled away. With a wink, he turned and strolled off as Z sighed, wondering what to do now.

* * *

"Hey Bridge, can you pass the screwdriver over?" Spencer asked as he worked cross-legged on the ground.

"I still don't get the obsession of turning your computer into a glorified kitchen appliance," Annie was sitting on the bed, partly watching the two, and partly reading.

"You could have stayed behind instead of watching us then," Spencer replied as he pulled the side of the case off.

"And sat about as a third wheel with those two? No thank you," Annie scoffed. Spencer finally looked up, arching an eyebrow at her.

"So you turn me into it? Thanks," he said dryly, returning to his work.

"Can you check to see how the fans are holding up?" Bridge asked him, and Spencer peered inside the case, before sneezing loudly.

"You might want to clear the dust out first," he sniffed as he raised his head. Bridge grinned guiltily.

"Please. When you two go into computer nerd mode, I'm the third wheel," Annie rolled her eyes at the pair. Both looked up at her blankly. "See?" she batted Bridge lightly with her book before returning to it.

"Uh, anyway, the fans look like they could do with replacing. They've barely been able to cope with that waffle iron," Spencer returned to looking through the computer. The alarm then blared, and the three quickly got to their feet. "Well, the quiet had to end eventually," he commented.

* * *

Reaching the battle in time to see Sky and Syd on the ground, Jack blasted the alien back and the others raced to help them up.

"You guys okay?" Z asked as she helped Syd up. The Pink Ranger groaned, and nodded. With a laugh, the alien raised his blaster to the sky and fired. Lightning flew down towards them.

"Watch out!" Spencer shouted, and Annie raised her hand. The lightning hit it and she winced very slightly, before throwing her hand out at the surprised alien. It hit the ground in front of him, and smoke exploded out. When it faded, he had disappeared.

"He's gone," Bridge frowned.

"Let's just hope it's for good," Jack muttered.

* * *

"His name is Delex," Kat explained as the Rangers stood in the command centre. The image of the alien that Sky and Syd had fought spun in the middle of the console. "He's already been judged guilty in ten galaxies for draining the life force from innocent beings. He is now believed to be working for Broodwing," she told them.

"Broodwing? Something tells me he's gone rogue from Grumm," Spencer folded his arms.

"Rangers, I need you out on the streets looking for him," Kruger ordered. "Team up. I want no Ranger out there alone. And where is Jack?" he asked, the absence of their leader obvious. The others glanced away, and Z sighed.

"He left us after the last attack. He said he had some-"

"Well find him!" Kruger interrupted, in no mood for excuses.

"Sir!" the Rangers quickly left the base, and Kat shot Kruger a concerned look.

* * *

"I wonder what was with Jack, running off like that," Annie commented as she and Spencer jogged through the city, Morphed and in SWAT mode.

"Who knows. As long as it doesn't get in the way of fighting, I don't care," Spencer replied, and sighed. "Of all the times to start going off like this, it's right when we need to be vigilant. Grumm's end game is getting close, I can feel it," he muttered. Annie hummed in agreement. Their Morphers beeped, and they stopped.

' _Delex has been seen in the city centre. Sky and Z are already fighting him_ ,' Kat alerted the two.

"We're on our way," Spencer replied, and returned his Morpher to its holster. He glanced to Annie, and she nodded, before they streaked off through town, reaching the battle as Syd, Bridge and Sam joined them.

"Jack's not with you?" Bridge glanced to the others.

"I never saw him," Spencer shook his head.

"Jack or no Jack, we're gonna have to stop this guy," Sam told them. They nodded, and Z and Sky suddenly ran to fight him. "Hey, wait for us!" the Omega Ranger called. As the Yellow and Blue Rangers leapt over the Krybots, the others started talking them out, blasting them and knocking them away.

"Get outta the way!" Spencer blasted the Krybots that swarmed him, and nearby, Sky and Z were blasted away from Delex. "Stop!" he fired a blast, and Delex blocked it with his arm.

"You're like pesky ants," he rolled his eyes.

"And you're our picnic!"

"You're under arrest Delex!" Z shouted.

"Don't make me laugh!" the alien mocked, and fired another blast to the sky. Annie caught it and threw it back, and Delex laughed as his armour sparked madly. "Thanks for the power up!" he raised his hand again, and the lightning slammed down, hitting all the Rangers as Annie couldn't redirect it. They cried out, falling to the ground as Delex laughed loudly. However, it was interrupted when a blast caught him in the chest. "No!" he shrieked as the device strapped to his arm fell off, broken.

"Sorry I'm late!" Jack called as they looked around in surprise.

"Jack!"

"You're here!"

"Better late than never I guess."

"Yeah!" Jack nodded as the Rangers got to their feet. They blasted Delex again repeatedly, throwing him back. "I want in on this!" Jack leapt over them and blasted Delex repeatedly, before landing and striking him with multiple kicks.

"Give up?" the others ran to stand beside him.

"Never!" the alien roared, blasting them again. The Rangers dodged it and blasted him, destroying his blaster. With another round of shots, they'd floored Delex as his armour smoked.

"Good job guys," Jack called.

"You think you have power? I'll show you real power!" Delex pushed himself to his feet and unlocked the power he'd collected. With a roar, he began to grow until he towered over the city. "Now what are you gonna do?" he challenged with a laugh.

"Kat!" Sky called quickly.

' _Sending flyers_ ,' Kat sent out the Zords, and they combined to form the SWAT Megazord. Delex immediately opened fire, but with quick shots of their own, they'd countered.

"What?!" Delex cried out, before they overpowered him and threw him to the ground.

"Let's finish this!" the Rangers blasted into space with Delex, and formed their containment mode. "You're wanted in 10 galaxies. Prepare for containment!"

"Fire!" the Rangers blasted him, containing him and freeing the people he'd harvested.

* * *

"Excellent job Rangers, once again you have helped make the galaxy a safer place. Dismissed," Kruger nodded to them.

"Sir!" the Rangers saluted and went to leave.

"Jack. I would like a word with you," the Commander stopped the Red Ranger, and the others winced sympathetically as they passed him.

"Someone's in trouble," Sky hummed as he left. Jack shot him a glare.

"Wonder just what was going on with Jack today," Syd commented as they walked away to get something to eat. The others shrugged, just as clueless. Z looked mildly annoyed, not liking that she didn't know what was going on with her best friend.

"Let's just hope that Kruger isn't too mad with him. I'm in no mood to deal with that," Spencer ran a hand through his hair, before the alarm blared suddenly.

' _Rangers to Command Centre immediately_ ,' they frowned, wondering what was wrong now.

* * *

The Rangers headed to Gamma Orion, where an SOS signal had been picked up on the restricted SPD channel.

' _Rangers, the last reported signal came from due west of your position. You should have contact in 22 seconds_ ,' Kat advised. Slowing to a stop, they jumped from the van, Morphed and in their SWAT mode.

"Stay alert everyone," Jack warned as they looked around quickly for any sign of danger. They ran towards the smoking wreckage nearby, and Jack crouched to study it. "It looks like a crashed spaceship," he murmured.

"Could anyone have survived?" Syd wondered.

"Wait," Spencer and Annie's heads both lifted. "There's something this way," the two started running, and the others followed them. They slowed down as they reached the area, looking around.

"Stay focused," Jack told them quietly. "All clear, come on," the Rangers crept through the forest, looking around.

"This is creepy," Annie muttered.

"Tracks," Spencer whispered. "Krybots," he warned, and they ducked behind the trees. Jack indicated nearby, and they saw the Krybots looking around.

"I'm getting life readings," Sky murmured as he scanned the container the Krybots were in front of.

"Okay, let's move in," Jack decided. However, as they went to attack, there was a roar and a strange creature landed on Jack.

"Hey, stop!" before the others could help, a blast narrowly missed them.

"Troobians!" Sky warned, spotting them nearby.

"You guys go, I'll handle this guy," Jack was still on the ground struggling, and they nodded, running to fight off the collection of Orange-Heads, Blue-Heads and Krybots. Jumping up and grabbing onto the branch of a tree, Spencer blasted the robots that came at him, before the alien that had attacked Jack ran past, with the Red Ranger chasing him.

"What are you doing up there?" Annie couldn't help but laugh as she shot some more before noticing the Gold Ranger dangling about.

"Just hanging out," he grinned down. Once the other Troobian soldiers had been destroyed, Jack shoved the cuffed alien over and they forced him to sit.

"Okay Sky, let's take a look," the Red and Blue Rangers approached the wreckage of an SPD ship. "We'll have to blast our way in," they blasted the door, and it forced open.

"Look, there's someone in there!" Syd gasped, and their eyes widened as seven figures emerged, staggering and barely able to remain on their feet.

"The A-Squad!"

"They're alive!"

"Whoa!"

"Charlie!" Spencer jumped down from his perch in the tree, standing in front of the Red Ranger. "You alright?" he asked as the Red Ranger stumbled and fell into him. The others hurried to help the others.

"Power down," the suit shattered to reveal a young woman with brown hair tied back in braids, covered in cuts and bruises as dirt streaked her face.

"Red's a girl?" Sky demanded.

"Right on!" Syd and Z high-fived.

"And you are?" Charlie arched an eyebrow at Spencer, who gave a small laugh and demorphed, smiling slightly at her. Her eyes widened in surprise, before she gave a laugh of her own. "Well well, looks like you got what you wanted," she commented.

"Maybe you'd known if you hadn't stopped talking to me," he commented. The others exchanged confused looks as Annie rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's get back to base," Spencer slung her arm over his shoulders.

* * *

"A joyous day for SPD," the Commander nodded as the two Squads stood facing one another. "Well done B-Squad," he praised.

"Welcome back A-Squad," Kat smiled as she and Kayden approached. "I'll need to prepare your medicals. I'll see you shortly," she told them. "Nice job guys," she murmured to the Rangers, before she and Kayden disappeared out.

"Thank you again Cadets. You have filled in nicely. But now I need to speak to A-Squad. B-Squad, you are dismissed," their smiles fell.

"Uh, but Sir-"

"I said you are dismissed," Kruger told him firmly.

"Yes sir," the Rangers saluted and slowly left the command centre.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jack yelled as he stormed into the empty rec room. " _B-Squad_? When was the last time Kruger called us B-Squad?!" he demanded as he turned to the others. "We worked our butts off all year, then we're ordered to leave the command centre like we're some D-Squad newcomer?!" he shouted.

"I don't like it any better than you Jack, none of us do," Sky told him gently. "But we knew that if A-Squad came back, it was going to happen," he reminded the Red Ranger, who turned away with a scoff.

"That doesn't mean we have to like it," Z shrugged.

"It's a joke!" Annie exclaimed, before glancing around as Bridge walked in slowly, looking confused.

"Bridge? How are you feeling?" Jack asked him. Bridge didn't answer, looking out the window.

"Bridge!" Sky called louder. Bridge was startled out of his thoughts.

"Sorry..." he apologised, still looking confused. "I was just thinking. I have a really bad feeling guys," Bridge admitted. "Kinda like the feeling I had before?" when they blinked at him, he turned to them properly. "Right before we became Rangers, I got curious, I checked their auras, and something was off," he explained. Sky and Syd nodded, remembering. "And after being gone all that time, wasn't it a little too easy how we just happened to find them?" he asked.

"There was next to nothing guarding them," Spencer murmured. "Grumm knows we can handle that amount of forces easily," he adjusted his glasses.

"Well, did you think something was off Spence? You know A-Squad better than us," Annie turned to him. The others frowned, turning to the Gold Ranger.

"Oh, that's not cool Annie," he flushed red, scowling at her.

"Yeah, you did seem to know the Red Ranger," Jack accused softly. Spencer sighed heavily.

"Okay, we went out for a while," he admitted, and in their shock, none could contain themselves and started laughing. "What? I do date now and again!" Spencer defended, going even redder. "But she broke up with me right before I got elevated to Ranger status," he explained.

"Because you spent more time working than with her," Annie snorted.

"Annie..." Spencer growled at her as the others tried to hide their laughter. "Look, I don't know A-Squad that well. I did talk to their Silver Ranger Felix about Mercuria a few times, but that was it," he shook his head.

"And Charlie?" Annie asked. Spencer paused, frowning.

"Now that I think about it...something did feel off with her," he admitted.

"Yeah...well, that's not our problem," Jack shrugged. "Our problem is that we're B-Squad. The reserves. Zord clean-up detail," he listed. "We do all the work, and they're probably in the command centre getting all these medals," he muttered bitterly. No-one spoke, unable to help but feel the same way.

* * *

 **Getting close to the end now!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	31. Endings Part 1

Chapter 31: Endings Part 1

The Rangers sat in the rec room, still annoyed by their dismissal by Kruger. They couldn't believe that after everything they'd done over the year since A-Squad had disappeared, everything they had done to protect the world, and they'd been sent off now that the A-Squad was back.

"Guys, come on," Sky spoke up as he looked around at his team. "We're a great team. Kruger said so himself," he reminded them.

"I for one, don't want to have to go back to sweeping up after those guys," Syd shrugged.

"You and me both. How can we be expected to go from saving the world, battling giant robots, to sweeping up the wreckage?" Annie shrugged.

"I wonder what'll happen with our SWAT mode then," they glanced at Spencer as he considered this. "Will we still keep it? Or will it be given to A-Squad to use, if we're back to being the reserve team?" he asked, looking up at them. None of them spoke, realising he was right and wondering what would happen.

"Ally, Ally!" before anyone could think of what to say, Jack's voice carried over to them as he pleaded over the phone. The others glanced at him as he turned around. "I can't go into detail on this, but..." he realised they were watching him and looked away. "Trust me, I can't make it over there today," he told the person on the other side.

"Who's he talking to?" Annie asked curiously.

"His girlfriend," Spencer's words took them by surprise. "Oh please, you guys didn't realise he was dating someone?" he chuckled, before his head suddenly pulsed and he leaned forwards, putting his hands to his head.

"Spencer?" Sky called, seeing his sudden change in behaviour.

 _"Well Kruger? How does it feel to be betrayed by your own Rangers?" the skeletal creature with glowing red eyes and one horn bigger than the others stood in front of Kruger, whose hands had been cuffed._

 _"These are not Rangers," Kruger jerked his head at the A-Squad standing behind him. "A real Power Ranger must be true of heart. All those years of training and you have learned nothing," he growled at them. Charlie rolled her eyes._

 _"Grow up Doggie. Everyone wants to be on a winning team," she smirked. The others standing with her looked just as arrogant._

 _"And when the Earth falls, you shall rule it alongside me. As promised," Grumm nodded. Charlie's chest swelled with her arrogant pride._

 _"There are still people willing to do whatever it takes to defend the Earth," Kruger growled at them. Charlie couldn't contain her mocking laughter._

 _"Who? That pathetic bunch of losers, your B-Squad? Please," she rolled her eyes in disdain._

 _"Don't underestimate them," Grumm warned. "They've been a great annoyance to me," he told her. Charlie rolled her eyes again._

 _"That's because they've never faced the best of the best. Let us take care of them," the Red Ranger requested._

 _"No!" Kruger growled._

 _"Do it," Grumm told Charlie quietly, his eyes glowing as they looked to Kruger. He stared in horror, completely powerless to help his team._

Spencer sat up abruptly, his breathing erratic and his eyes wide.

"What's wrong? What did you see?" Bridge asked as the Rangers stared at him.

"Oh, please let it be wrong," Spencer didn't seem to hear him as he leapt from his seat and sprinted out.

"Spencer!" Annie shouted, and the others began to run after him.

"Jack, we have a problem!" Sky called to Jack, who quickly ended his call and followed them out. Spencer didn't slow in his pace as he ran to the Command Centre, where he found Kat and Kayden looking concerned.

"Kruger's gone, isn't he?" Spencer asked, breathing heavily. The others, who had caught up at that moment, froze. The two nodded wordlessly.

"Why don't you send A-Squad to find him?" Syd asked bitterly.

"Because it was A-Squad who took him!" their eyes widened as Spencer whirled around to face them.

"What?!" Sky finally managed to find his voice. "Are you crazy? A-Squad are-"

"He's right," Kat spoke up, stopping Sky. There was a sudden beeping, and the Red A-Squad Ranger appeared on screen, smirking at them.

' _You want us, B-Squad? Come and get us_!" Charlie challenged. ' _Sector A, Zone 4. We're waiting_ ,' she smirked before the video ended.

"Rangers, you can't go. It's a trap," Kat shook her head.

"Of course it is," Jack agreed, before looking to the rest of the team. They nodded. "But we're going," he said determinedly.

"Just so you know," Kat called as they went to leave. She paused, her worry obvious. "Commander Kruger told me, you're the best he's ever had," the Rangers didn't speak, turning and running out.

* * *

The seven A-Squad Rangers walked out onto their chosen battlefield as the B-Squad Rangers arrived, leaving their vehicles to approach warily.

"Didn't think you'd show," Charlie admitted as she watched them, still wearing her arrogant smirk.

"Well, we're not the pathetic bunch of losers you seem to think us," her head jerked to Spencer, who just watched her with an indifferent expression. She didn't speak for a moment, thrown by him repeating the words she'd uttered on Grumm's ship.

"A-Squad!" she regained her composure, and their suits surrounded them. "Let's do this," she raised her blaster.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed as A-Squad blasted them, and they leapt to dodge it. Drawing their blades, they deflected the rest of the attacks, and divided off.

"Little Annie, still as lame as the day you started," Felix taunted as he stood opposite Annie. She rolled her eyes, not bothering to respond as she focused on fighting him instead. She leapt at him, knocking his blast aside, and kicked out, but the Mercurian was fast, dodging her strike, and kicked her backwards. Annie cried out as she collided with a car, bouncing off it and landing face first down. She growled as she heard Felix' laughter, and got back up.

Spencer back-flipped to avoid the blast from Alana, who followed him and punched him hard. The Gold Ranger was tossed through the air, and the A-Squad Gold Ranger followed, kicking him to the ground. He cried out as she laughed darkly, knocking him around easily.

* * *

"They're getting pulverised!" Boom groaned as they watched A-Squad toss the Rangers around. "Isn't there something we can do?" he asked.

"A-Squad has had much more training and experience," Kat shook head. "They're in a different league," she admitted. Kayden ran a hand through his hair, watching. He couldn't believe that A-Squad had turned on SPD and joined Grumm.

"The Rangers will win," Kat and Boom looked up at his confident voice. "A-Squad may have the advantage with all that, but the Rangers have never given up. They won't lose," he said confidently. The other two watched him silently, still worried, but reassured all the same.

The base suddenly shook, and the three grabbed a hold of the console to stop from falling over as the alarm began to blare.

"What was that?" Boom gulped.

"I don't know," Kat frowned as Kayden went to one of the computers. He froze, and swallowed.

"Uh...Kat?" he turned his head slowly as the image of the front of the base came up on screen. "We have a big problem," her eyes went wide and her face paled at the sight of the robot that had breached the base.

"Security Breach in Sector 9B," Kat alerted the rest of the base. Sam led the cadets to try and stop them, but Krybots were appearing all over the base.

"They're everywhere!" Boom gulped.

"We have to secure the Command Centre," Kat spoke. "We have to be prepared for the worst," she began working on sealing the doors.

"I'm going out there," she looked up as Kayden walked to the doors. They slid open, and he turned his head to grin. "You're right Kat. I do want to be a Ranger. And I'm not going to earn that right by staying here. You guys stay safe. I'll help Sam and the other Cadets," he told them.

"Be careful," Kat called as he stepped out, giving a two finger salute as the doors closed.

"He's so cool," Boom sighed enviously.

"Power of Water!" Kayden blasted the Krybots away from the cadets they were overwhelming, and they looked up in surprise as he approached. "Excuse me, but this is our base, and we don't take kindly to invaders," he smiled.

"Power of Fire!" a blazing heat scorched through the corridor as a pillar of fire slammed into the Orange-Head coming at Kayden. It shrieked as the fire engulfed him, and Kayden pushed more water towards him, dousing the flames and leaving the robot a melted pile of metal and wires. "Thought you could use a hand," Sera approached with a smile. Kayden grinned, patting the head of the D-Squad Ninja.

"I don't know how much we can do, we don't have an endless supply of energy," Kayden admitted as he helped up a Cadet. "But the least we can do is hold off these losers until the Rangers beat A-Squad," he said confidently. The group with him nodded, and they hurried to join the rest of the fighting.

* * *

Charlie laughed loudly as Jack crashed to the ground, his helmet vanishing as he lay on the ground, badly hurt. The others joined him, struggling to try and get up.

"You never really thought you stood a chance against us, did you?" Charlie taunted. "After all. You're only the B-Squad," she mocked as the team stood in front of the fallen Rangers.

"Meaning what?" Jack growled.

"You're second best," the Pink Ranger, Rachel, told him.

"Second rate," Ivan, the Yellow Ranger, nodded.

"And second choice," Cliff, the Green Ranger, added in.

"You'd never reach our level. We're the _best_ for a reason. Like you losers could reach that," Alana chuckled.

"You're not even fit to shine our boots," Charlie stepped forwards, and the Rangers, groaning as their bodies protested, got back to their feet.

"Let's show them how we do it. B-Squad style," Jack growled. They grabbed their Morphers quickly.

"SPD, SWAT mode!" the Rangers called on the powerful boost to their powers.

"Come on," Charlie goaded, unimpressed.

"Let's do it!" Jack shouted. The Rangers ran in, and the fighting continued.

"Shiny new armour doesn't mean anything, goldie!" Alana shouted as she chased after Spencer. He ducked behind a wall of crates, and she blasted them, only for him to leap over them and blast her. Alana screamed as she was thrown backwards, and as she went to get back up, Spencer landed beside her.

"I'd make some comment about going easy on a girl, but considering a girl has been kicking my ass since I was little, I know better," Spencer commented. Alana growled and pushed herself back up, but Spencer flipped her and she landed hard, crying out again. "Stay down," he said firmly.

"Let's see what you think of this!" Annie dodged Felix's attacks and turned suddenly, rushing in close. She got him with a powerful kick, and when he was shoved back, she blasted him. The Mercurian cried out and crashed to the ground hard. "Not so little, huh?" she smirked. The others defeated their opponents just as easily, and Charlie followed.

"Let's take this to the big league!" Charlie groaned as they regrouped. She pressed a button on her suit, and called on a robot.

"Oh man!" Jack growled as they took to their robot.

"Once we're finished with B-Squad, we'll take care of Broodwing," Charlie decided.

"Kat, we need the Runners!" Jack contacted her quickly.

' _Wait. We're under attack_ ,' their eyes went wide at Kat's quick words. They heard an explosion and a yell. ' _Rangers, the Zords are on their way, and so is Omega Ranger_ ,' the doctor told them quickly.

"We're going to need to finish this quick," Sky frowned as they formed their Megazords. "Let's get them!" they fired a blast, but the robot easily deflected it and destroyed their sword. Charlie laughed as their Robot pushed them back, before hearing a noise. Looking around, they all gasped.

"The base!" Z cried as they watched the base change forms. It suddenly blasted them, and the Rangers cried out as their Zords barely kept it together.

"That's not a good sign," Spencer gulped.

' _Hello Rangers_ ,' their eyes widened at the familiar voice. ' _Surprised_?' he taunted.

"Broodwing!"

' _That's right! I thought I'd make myself at home while Kruger is busy_ ,' the bat told them, laughing. The base then began to transform into the Megazord. ' _Now the power is in my hands_!' he laughed, delighted. ' _Newtech City will be the first to fall! And there's nothing you can do to stop me_!' he laughed as they cried out in horror.

"Don't forget us!" the robot then attacked the Megazord, and Broodwing walked off, leaving them to fight the robot.

"We've gotta evacuate!" Jack yelled as their Megazord sparked dangerously, before exploding. Sam cried out in horror.

* * *

The Rangers woke surrounded by the wreckage of their Megazord, struggling to pull themselves free.

"Come on," Spencer grunted, pushing the piece of metal off himself and grabbing for his fallen glasses. When he put them on, he sighed, shaking his head at the cracked lens. "Great," he muttered, getting to his feet.

"The Delta Command Megazord...it's gone," Syd realised as she helped fish Sky out of the water he had landed in.

"We have nothing to fight with," Jack lifted the piece of metal that had pinned Z down. "The SWAT flyers are in the Delta Base," he remembered as Spencer crouched beside Z and healed her injured leg.

"Or are they?" Bridge asked, still on the ground. He rolled upside down, balancing as he thought about it. "Got it!" the other Rangers watched him curiously. "If I was Kat, and the base was under attack, I might transfer the SWAT flyers to the secret underground Zord bay," he suggested.

"Whoa. There's a secret underground Zord bay?" Z demanded as Spencer helped her up.

"Doesn't every Command Base have one?" Bridge asked her innocently.

* * *

"Seriously, how did we not know this place existed?" Annie asked as they reached the Zord Bay.

"Takes the point of being a secret out of it," Spencer replied, and flinched when she hit him over the head.

"I'll break the rest of your glasses if you're not careful," she warned as he rubbed the spot. Bridge inserted his Morpher into the console by the door, and entered a code, allowing the doors to open.

"They are here!" Z smiled in relief as they found their Runners. "You were right," she laughed.

"I'll never call you weird again," Sky vowed.

"Thanks...I think," Bridge frowned.

"Don't make promises you can't keep Sky," Spencer grinned at him.

"Kat and Boom came through for us," Jack looked up at the Zords. "Now how about we make them proud?" he grinned to the team, and they nodded.

* * *

The front of the Command Base Megazord began to glow as Broodwing laughed.

"We strike now!" he declared, but before they could fire and destroy the city, they heard a noise above. "Impossible! The SWAT Megazord!" Broodwing roared furiously.

"Hold it right there Broodwing!" Jack shouted.

"You won't stop me!" Broodwing roared, and looked around as the robot containing A-Squad approached.

"Nobody's going to destroy B-Squad but us!" Charlie shouted. "Fire!" they fired shots at the Megazord, and the Rangers easily knocked it aside. She let out a furious yell as Jack grinned.

"You ready Rangers?" Jack shouted.

"Ready!" they kicked the robot hard, and A-Squad yelled as their consoles sparked madly. "Let's finish this!" with one powerful blast, they destroyed the robot. A-Squad, who'd ejected, landed on the ground and demorphed, badly hurt and unable to stand.

"You can't do this to us!" Charlie yelled as she looked up at the Rangers. "We're the A-Squad!"

"Looks like you've been demoted," Jack commented as his Morpher flashed red to signify their guilt.

"And let's face it. You stopped being A-Squad the moment you chose Grumm's side," Spencer told them. The fallen group glared hatefully at them.

"Confinement mode!" A-Squad cried out as they were blasted, and were trapped within the cards.

"Omega, take the SWAT Megazord. We gotta get to the base," Jack turned to his team, who nodded.

"They're coming back!" Broodwing spotted the Megazord flying back towards him.

"Go for it guys!" the bat-alien was shocked when Sam cheered from the cockpit. He leaned forwards, and the Omegamax Cycle flew from his back and into the air. The Rangers leapt out, and landed on the Megazord.

"I can't believe that worked," Syd admitted.

"Come on guys, let's get inside!" Jack shouted. Broodwing tried to stop them, but Sam blasted him, keeping him occupied.

"Let's go!" Annie blasted the Orange-Heads around her and kicked a Krybot aside, before blasting a Blue-Head coming up behind Spencer. "You really need to learn to watch your back," she commented.

"Don't really need to when you're watching it for me," Spencer commented, dodging a strike from an Orange-Head. He blasted it in the chest, and it fell to the ground, sparking before the systems shut down completely. Annie rolled her eyes with a sigh, and Spencer laughed.

"Troobians are one thing, but you'll never get past us," the three aliens who had been working with Broodwing approached, ready to fight. The Rangers began to fight, and as Bridge and Sky were tossed back by one of the aliens, a torrent of water slammed into it.

"Wanna bet?" Kayden grinned.

"Kayden!" Z smiled in relief at the sight of the Water Ninja, but he hadn't escaped unharmed. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and blood was flowing from his nose uninterrupted.

"Thought you might like a hand," he shrugged.

"Or two!" when the alien got back to his feet, Sera leapt over Kayden and raised a pillar of fire that surrounded him and made him roar in pain.

"Whoa," Syd gasped. "Who is that?" she wondered.

"Serafina. My cousin," Annie explained.

"And Spencer's God-Cousin!" Sera smiled brightly.

"My uncle is her godfather," Spencer elaborated.

'Rangers! We have control of the base,' Kat suddenly called through.

"Great job Kat," Jack grinned. "Now I'll take care of Broodwing!" he decided.

"Go for it, we have this handled!" Spencer shouted, kicking the alien running at Jack away.

"Yeah, go!" Sky nodded. Jack ran off to face Broodwing, and the others Rangers focused on the three aliens. "Come on!" Sky dropped and swept the feet out from under the alien's feet, and he tumbled to the ground. Kayden leapt in and kicked him as he got back up, falling into a fighting stance. "What's with the uniform?" Sky couldn't help but ask.

"Huh?" Kayden glanced down at his Ninja gear, which was ripped and scorched too. "Oh, Ninja Gear. Best to fight in," he smiled brightly.

"How'd you even find time to change?" Z asked curiously. The four Ninjas just laughed.

"Clearly we're missing something here," Syd commented. Before long, the aliens were defeated and tossed out of the base, crying out as they landed by Broodwing.

"My generals!" the bat cried out in horror, just as beaten. As the Rangers, joined by Sam, stood in front of them, Broodwing growled.

"Will you come in peacefully?" Jack asked him.

"Never!" Broodwing roared furiously.

"Didn't think so!" the Rangers ran at them, and the Rangers easily overpowered the weakened generals as Jack faced Broodwing. Before long, the generals were contained, and Broodwing was on his knees. "Delta Blaster, combo mode!" Jack aimed the blaster at him. Broodwing pushed himself up, and ran at Jack, who fired a shot. Broodwing screamed in pain, dropping again. "Give it up Broodwing," Jack shook his head. "You've finally met your judgement day. This time there's no escape!" he grabbed his Morpher and activated it.

"I'm sure we can come to some agreement!" Broodwing pleaded. The light flashed red.

"Guilty!" Jack determined.

"No!" Broodwing cried out, his horror growing as he backed away.

"Hey RIC!" Syd tossed the bone into the air as RIC raced into view.

"Canine Cannon!" the Rangers caught the weapon. "Fire!" they shot the powerful blast at Broodwing, and an explosion echoed around the streets.

"We did it!" Jack laughed as Broodwing yelled furiously from his container. "Power Down," the Rangers demorphed as RIC sat between them.

"I can't believe it," Syd commented. "Broodwing is finally gone," she allowed herself a small smile at the victory.

"We can't celebrate just yet," Annie shook her head, cracking her neck.

"Annie's right. Grumm still has Kruger," Sky reminded them. "We need to find out where he is," he told the group.

"I know!" they looked around at Piggy as he called over. They frowned, and followed him.

* * *

"Piggy, are you sure this is the right place?" Z asked cautiously as Piggy led the team through a part of the city that had been damaged when Broodwing had been running rampant with the Megazord.

"Yeah, last I checked, Grumm had Kruger on his ship," Spencer nodded.

"And you think he'd keep him there when you know that?" Piggy challenged. The young man hesitated. "I'm sure," he led them under a bridge. "Just wait right here," he smiled. A shiver ran down Spencer's spine, and he looked around. Glowing red eyes shone in the darkness, making him go rigid.

"Guys-"

"Welcome Rangers," Grumm emerged from the shadows, and as they went to attack, he blasted them with his staff and wrapped glowing light around them, making them cry out as it drained their powers and restrained them. Krybots appeared behind them, grabbing their Morphers.

"Piggy! How could you do this to us?" Z demanded as they were restrained, gasping for breath. Not only had they been up all night, they'd fought in several tough battles. They didn't have the energy to fight back. Grumm laughed as Piggy looked away.

* * *

The Rangers struggled in the grasp of their captors as they were forced through Grumm's ship. Before long, they heard a familiar voice yelling.

"Let me out of here! _Isinia_!" Kruger roared, before his ears pricked and he looked around in horror.

"Commander!" Jack looked up at the Sirian as they were shoved into the prison with him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Kruger patted his shoulder as the cage door was closed, and light flashed to show a forcefield now barricaded them inside.

"Not too powerful without your Morphers, are you Cadets?" Grumm mocked.

"This isn't the end Grumm," Kruger vowed.

"For once, you're right Commander," Grumm chuckled, to their surprise. "The worst has yet to come," he warned, his eyes flashing red. With a laugh, he turned and walked away, leaving the Rangers in their prison.

* * *

 **Just one chapter left!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	32. Endings Part 2

Chapter 32: Endings Part 2

"Come on," Jack grunted as he willed his powers to work, to free himself from his cuffs. However, his ability wouldn't kick in, leaving him more and more frustrated.

"Jack, give me a second," Annie caught him by the cuffs and pulled him to face her.

"What are you – hey, wait, how are you free?" he demanded, realising she was no longer wearing her cuffs.

"Please," Annie scoffed, and Jack glanced over to where Spencer was freeing Sky from his own restraints.

"Lock picking skills?" Z asked with a raised eyebrow. "How very criminal of you," she commented. Rolling his eyes, Spencer turned to her as Sky rubbed his chafed wrists.

"I could leave you in those if you prefer," he threatened, and she held out her hands with an innocent look. "Ninja skills come in handy now and again. Purely for legal reasons," Spencer added, making her smile despite their predicament.

"Jack, your genetic powers have been neutralised, you can't break out," Kruger told Jack. Free from his cuffs, Jack was working on trying to get out of their prison.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," Jack shook his head. He winced when the forcefield shocked him.

"Hey, can you two get us outta here?" Sky asked Annie and Spencer. Annie shook her head.

"Maybe if there wasn't a forcefield in the way," she shrugged. Spencer approached it and pressed his fingers to the forcefield, wincing but not pulling back as it shocked him.

"Yeah, no Ninja skills could get through this," Spencer agreed, focus in his green eyes. "But..." a gold glow surrounded his hands and he breathed in slowly, closing his eyes. "Maybe some magic might crack this-" there was a pulse, and Spencer cried out as he was thrown backwards, narrowly missing Bridge as the Green Ranger remained upside down. "Or crack me instead," Spencer groaned, on his back with his legs over his head.

"Good distance," Bridge commented as Spencer rolled over.

"Anything broken?" Kruger, who had been talking quietly with Jack, asked him.

"Just my pride," Spencer shook his head, getting to his feet and groaning.

"Who'd have thought _Piggy_ would have sent us into this trap?" Z complained, on the ground with her legs pulled in close.

"Just goes to show ya," Bridge stood up properly. "Can't trust reptiles," he smiled, but it faded. "He is a reptile, right?" he asked.

"He's _history_ if I ever get outta here," Sky growled.

"Oh, you and me both," Annie nodded.

"He's probably laughing at us right now," Sky shook his head, furious that he had fallen for the trap.

* * *

"Commander Kruger, and the B-Squad, have been captured by Emperor Grumm," Kat announced to the cadets in front of her, Boom and Kayden. "There is no-one left to protect Earth, but us. Omega Ranger will lead those who are willing to fight against the inevitable Troobian invasion. The odds of coming out of this are slim," Kat admitted. "If any of you want to leave, please do so now," she told them. Sam glanced around, eyes widening as all but Sera turned to leave. Kayden sighed heavily.

"I figured nobody would want to stay after this," he murmured. Kat sighed too, knowing he was right.

"Wait!" they glanced to Boom as he called to the retreating group. "Before you go, I just wanna tell you that...I get it!" Boom shrugged helplessly. "You know? I understand. Outnumbered, outpowered, Kat's probably exaggerating when she said the odds were slim. Hopeless would be more like it," Boom gave a small smile. "But even if all of you leave, I'm staying. I'm staying for Commander Kruger. I'm staying for Jack. For Sky, Bridge, Z, Syd, Spencer, Annie. I'm staying because they would stay for _me_. They'd stay for you too," Boom smiled as Sam, Sera, Kat and Kayden moved to stand beside him. "We will probably lose this fight. But I am not giving up, _without_ a fight. So Grumm, _bring it on_. So those of you who wanna go, go. I'm staying," the group cheered as Kat smiled proudly at Boom.

* * *

Kruger's ears lifted and he let out a snarl, and the Rangers turned quickly as a group of Krybots, led by an Orange-Head, approached.

"Kruger, Rangers! Omni has decided that your existence is no longer needed!" the doors slid open and the Orange-Head stepped inside. "We are here to carry out his orders, but first," he snapped his fingers, and two of the Krybots rushed forwards. Spencer's eyes widened and they grabbed him.

"Hey, wait!" the other Rangers started forwards, but the rest of the Krybots blocked their path.

"What are you doing with him?" Kruger demanded as Spencer struggled desperately.

"Omni wants you Rangers eliminated, but believes the power within that one may be a bit more useful if...converted," the Orange-Head chuckled.

"No!" Annie started forwards, and one of the Krybots clipped her across the face. She stumbled backwards, vision spinning.

"Annie!" Bridge barely caught her as blood ran down from the cut across her temple.

"Ready?" the Orange-Head called to the Krybots, and the Rangers fell into fighting stances.

"Rangers!" Kruger suddenly called. "It has been my honour fighting with you all," he told them, before the Orange-Head gave the order. However, one of the Krybots suddenly turned and blasted the rest, destroying them.

"Okay...what just happened?" Z asked curiously.

"From the looks of things...the last Krybot standing is a really bad shot," Bridge commented as Annie blinked rapidly, unsure if she was really seeing what was in front of them.

"Let's take him sir," Sky called.

"No, wait!" a familiar voice pleaded, and their eyes widened. The Krybot pulled off its mask to reveal Piggy, who raised his hands in defence.

"Piggy?" the Rangers stared at him.

"I know...I know, you hate me, and you have every right to," Piggy accepted as their shock turned to anger at seeing the traitor. "No need to judge me, I'm guilty. You can send me straight to one of those little..." he waved the blaster in his hand. "Confinement cards. Oh!" he realised when Bridge quickly grabbed it, looking alarmed. "Well, the point is, I'm...sorry," he muttered, looking up with a guilty expression.

"Piggy!" Sky started towards him, and the alien let out a yelp as he jerked backwards. "Thanks," Sky smiled.

"Rangers, we've got a planet to save," Kruger ordered.

"What about Spencer? We need to save him?" Annie asked as she stood by herself, wiping the blood away. Her vision swam again, and Bridge kept a supportive hand on her.

"We'll find him, now let's go!" Kruger barked. The Rangers nodded, and they all rushed off, only to find themselves surrounded by a large group of robots.

"Road block," Jack growled. They began to fight, easily fighting off the robots that came at them. Annie leapt off a pillar and landed on the shoulders of an Orange-Head, forcing it down as it went after Piggy. He yelped as she shot him a look, before her hands lifted up. They sparked dark red, before she threw her hands to her sides. Thunder boomed and dark red lightning bounced around the robots, destroying them.

"Rangers, you must return to earth," Kruger ordered as they regrouped.

"Right, but how?" Sky frowned.

"Would these help?" their eyes widened as Piggy approached with their Morphers.

* * *

Kayden shook his head as he fixed the wiring in the damaged console. People ran about outside, preparing for the invasion that would soon be arriving.

"Come on, I know you can still work you little-ah!" Kayden yelped when he was shocked. "Really starting to wish I'd taken after my dad," he muttered, shaking his hand as it became numb.

' _Kat_?' his eyes widened, and Kayden went to stand, slamming his head off the bottom of the console and wailing in pain. ' _Uh...is someone there_?' Kayden quickly stood, a hand to his head as he faced the computer.

"Guys!" he couldn't help but laugh in relief. "Boom, Kat!" Kayden shouted, and the two rushed in.

"Rangers, I'm sending the Flyers," Kat told them, and they smiled.

* * *

"Excellent," Kruger nodded when the communication ended. "Good luck Rangers," he told them, making them frown in confusion.

"But Sir, aren't you coming with us?" Syd asked him, confused.

"No. I have things to finish here. I'll find Spencer and have him back to you in no time," he told them confidently.

"I'll stay and fight with you," Jack told him.

"Much appreciated Jack, but your team needs you, now go," Kruger ordered, patting Jack on the shoulder.

"But-"

"You are in no shape to stay here Annie," the Commander told her sharply. "That is an order!" he barked.

"Yes sir!" the Rangers yelled, and ran off, followed by Piggy.

* * *

' _All Cadets to your battle stations_!' Kat ordered as she picked up the approaching enemies. Out the front of the base, barricades and cover had been set up, with cadets preparing their blasters.

"Okay guys, looks like it's show time!" Sam called as he stepped in front of Kat and Boom.

"So it would seem," Kayden cracked his knuckles, taking a breath. Sera did the same, wearing her Ninja gear that was outlined in amber.

"Did you call them?" she glanced to Kayden, who nodded.

"All we can do now is hope. We just need to last until the Rangers get back," he told her, clapping a hand to her shoulder. Sera swallowed, trying to hide the fear in her eyes. Kayden turned away, hoping his own wasn't obvious either.

The first explosion caught them off guard, throwing everyone off their feet. A group of Krybots and Blue-Heads, led by an Orange-Head, rushed towards SPD. At first they were cut down by the blasters, but finally got in close and the real fight began. Kayden and Sera fought off as many robots as they could, but the waves seemed endless, with several replacing the one that was cut down.

"This isn't looking great Kayden," Sera breathed heavily as she veered more Orange-Heads away from the cadets nearby.

"I hear that. But we aren't stopping," Kayden said.

"No way!" she shook her head, and they continued fighting. Behind Kayden, RIC was blasted and tossed to the ground, before they felt a burst of energy.

"What the hell is that?" Sera demanded, pointing to the grey hole that appeared beside the fallen Omega Ranger.

"A time portal?" Kayden wondered at the same time as Kat. Another figure appeared through it, in a similar suit to Sam's, only in grey.

"Force from the Future! SPD Nova Ranger!" she called, her helmet flashing. "Electro Mode!" she turned the lever on her Morpher and blasted the Troobians coming towards her.

"I am so glad to see you Nova," Sam laughed as he got back to his feet.

"Yeah, well I've been looking all over the timeline for you," she rolled her eyes. "Honestly Omega, you've been a massive pain in the butt to try and find. Worse than that time that-"

"Hey, I don't think we have time for you to get carried away right now," Sam laughed as he got to his feet and patted her shoulder. Hearing another rumble, everyone was taken by surprise when another figure appeared above, towering over the city.

"I have claimed this planet as mine!" he roared, raising a massive staff. He slammed it to the ground, and a loud pulsing noise brought everyone to their knees. "Destruction to all that try and stop me!" he roared. The noise stopped as suddenly as it started, bringing everyone relief.

A figure landed on the ground nearby, down on one knee with their head lowered. For a moment, nobody moved, until the young man stood.

"It's Spencer!" Sera smiled widely in relief. "He's okay!" she went to run to him, but Kayden grabbed her wrist.

"That's not Spencer," he said warily, making her frown.

"What? But-"

"Astute observation Kayden," Spencer smirked, his glasses still cracked and his hair messier than usual. His eyes now shone an eerie gold. "The great Magnificent, Omni, has sent me to finish off this pathetic attempt you call a defence," the group staring at him took a step back in horror.

"Spencer?" Sam stared at him. "No!" he rushed at the young man as he turned his gaze on Kat and Boom. Spencer caught his punch, smirking.

"The little sparkle, how sad it must be for you. You came from a future where SPD had fallen and saved them from destruction that day, only to fail now," Sam grunted as Spencer's grip on his hand tightened.

"Let him go!" Spencer's eyes darted to Nova as she fired a blast at him, only for it to be reflected off his shield. It barely missed her, and he chuckled.

"One more Ranger won't help anything," he shook his head, and kicked Sam hard in the gut. When the Omega Ranger doubled over, Spencer turned and slammed his leg into him, and Sam cried out as he was tossed aside.

"Okay, evil Spencer is a lot scarier than that time mum got mad at him," Nova commented, resting her hands on her hips. Spencer turned to her again, and she swallowed, trying hard to stand her ground against him.

"Earth is mine!" Omni declared overhead as the robots continued to attack. When the Megazord suddenly burst through the clouds and fired a blast, he glanced at them.

"This looks like our last battle. Now let's give it everything we've got!" Jack yelled to his team.

' _Rangers_!' they heard Kat crackle through on the communication channel. ' _We have another problem_ ,' she warned.

"Another? What could be as bad as-"

' _Spencer's been brainwashed by Omni. He's fighting Omega and Nova but he's too strong for them_ ,' Kat warned.

"Oh man," Jack groaned. Another battle on two fronts, and they were down another two Rangers.

' _Guys, focus on Omni_ ,' Kayden called quickly. ' _I'll help hold off Spencer until reinforcements arrive_ ,' he told them.

"Reinforcements?" Bridge wondered.

"You heard the man, we need to focus on this problem first!" Jack shouted to them.

"Right!" they nodded.

"This is it Kia..." Sam groaned as he got to his feet. "Just you and me," he muttered.

"Right," she nodded.

"And me!" Kayden stood beside them, watching Spencer. The Gold Ranger just looked amused, before glancing around quickly. He leapt back, narrowly avoiding the blast that came at him. "They're here!" Kayden smiled in relief.

"The SPD headquarters sent help!" Sam realised as he saw the Commanders rushing towards the fight.

"And I happened to be nearby," they looked around to see Minos approach with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, the teacher," Spencer sneered, turning his attention to him. "Shall we have another lesson?" he taunted as more Troobians rushed around, forcing Sam, Nova and Kayden back.

"I didn't like that mouth before, and I don't like it now," Minos snorted, his armour surrounding him. "Let's fix it, shall we?" he rushed at Spencer, who smirked. However, it faded slightly when Minos suddenly veered away from him, as the light shimmered between the two. "You forget, not only was I your teacher, I fought your mother on many occasions. You're too similar," Minos swung his hammer hard, and Spencer dove to avoid it.

"You won't win!" Spencer shouted at him, rushing at Minos, who caught his punch.

"Yes, we will!" Minos nodded, dropping his hammer to catch the next punch. The two grappled as the Megazord flew overhead, dodging the tentacles that Omni lashed out with. He grunted, feeling the power behind Spencer as the Gold Ranger let out a yell, but he was still stronger and more experienced. He twisted, and tossed Spencer through the air. The Gold Ranger crashed into barrels, and groaned.

"Wh...what?" his eyes flashed from gold to green, before he shook his head. When he opened his eyes, they were gold again, and he scowled up at Minos. He began to glow golden, and stood up as his injuries faded. He threw out his hands, and magic shot at Minos, who dove to dodge it.

"I almost broke through there," he murmured, grabbing his hammer. "Wait, that's it!" he slammed his hammer down, and Spencer stumbled and fell, stunned, giving time for Minos to run to Sam. "Hey, kid," the Omega Ranger looked up at him.

"Who _are_ you?" he asked, curious of the armour the man wore.

"That's not important right now. What is important is..." Minos turned and slammed his hammer into an Orange-Head. It fell to the ground twitching. "You can reach Annie, right?" he asked.

"Of course," Sam nodded.

"Good. Get her down here to fight Spencer. She's the only one around who can snap him out of this hold this guy has on him," Minos told him.

"What?" Sam frowned, before Minos ran off as Spencer recovered. "Hey, Annie?" he called.

' _Little busy Sparkle-Pants_!' she called back.

"I know, but you need to fight Spencer. Some guy in brown armour is fighting him and says you're the only one who can snap him out of it," Sam told her as he grabbed a Blue-Head and tossed it away from Boom.

"Go Annie! We can handle this for a little while!" Jack told her.

"You sure?" Annie called back.

"Bring that hard head back with you!" Sky nodded. With a laugh, Annie unbuckled from the Megazord and leapt down as it flew low to the ground. She landed, and immediately shot in, kicking Spencer hard enough to throw him away from Minos.

"What?" Spencer coughed, glowing again and getting to his feet. His expression twisted. "You. Just howdid you escape?" he demanded. Annie just smirked under her helmet and rushed at him, throwing a punch. "You won't win! The Rangers are down two now, you'll never beat Omni!" he yelled as he dodged it, and dropped to the ground. Annie leapt over his sweeping kick, landing behind him.

"And haven't you learned by now?" Spencer turned to her, only for her hand to catch his head. She demorphed, her eyes glittering. His eyes widened, and with several swift moves, she slammed him to the ground. "You'll never beat me," she smirked as she stood over him. Spencer groaned, legs over his head.

"Annie..." he opened his eyes to glare at her, and his eyes were very much green. "You know I hate that move," he complained, and she laughed, offering her hand. "Thanks," he grinned as he got to his feet.

"You know I'm the only one who can knock some sense into you," Annie smirked, and glanced around. "Hopefully with you back on the right side, they'll be alright while we take out Omni," she commented, looking to where Sam and Nova were fighting with Minos to protect the cadets, alongside the Commanders from other SPD bases.

"They can handle it. Now come on, I don't appreciate someone messing with my head," Spencer looked up at Omni. Annie laughed, nodding. "Ready?" he grinned as he grabbed his Morpher.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" they Morphed and went into their SWAT mode, running to rejoin the others in the Megazord.

"Welcome back," Jack nodded as they strapped in.

"Thanks," Spencer rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry I'm late," he said.

"Better late than never," Syd smiled.

"Now let's take this guy out!" Sky shouted. They flew into the air, only for tentacles to wrap around them. It squeezed tightly, making their Megazord creak, before they were able to blast free.

"Hang in there guys!" Jack shouted as they hurtled towards Earth.

' _Rangers, if Doggie can_ -'

' _It's_ when _, Kat, it's when I can_!' the Commander snapped.

' _When Doggie opens up the panel, max out your laser power and pump it only under Omni's left arm. It'll penetrate his central core, and cause a massive implosion_ ,' Kat directed.

"We're all over it!" Jack said confidently. They flew through the air, only to be blasted along the ground by Omni. He laughed as it echoed through the city, and they struggled to get up.

"If we take another hit like that, we won't be around to blast that core," Spencer warned as the systems blared.

' _Ready Rangers_!' Kruger roared.

"This one is for you Commander!" Jack yelled.

"Ready!" they aimed their blaster and charged it, firing it directly at the arm. The Rangers focused hard as those watching stared, hoping that it was enough. Omni then screamed as it exploded, and he collapsed, exploding. The Rangers cheered, unable to believe they'd done it.

* * *

Unmorphed and standing by the wreckage, the Rangers stared silently. While they'd had a massive victory, it had come at a loss.

"Doggie's gone..." Syd whispered.

"I'm gonna miss that great blue dog," Sky muttered as Syd took his hand.

"No. I'm not accepting it," Spencer shook his head stubbornly and stormed into the wreckage.

"Spencer, there's no way anyone could have survived that," Annie spoke as she watched him.

"I don't care!" the Gold Ranger shouted. "I'm not giving up until I see him!" he shook his head.

"Spencer, this wasn't-"

"Don't tell me it wasn't my fault!" Spencer shook his head and turned to Annie as she spoke. "If that asshole hadn't controlled me, we might have beaten Omni faster. _Without_ losing the Commander," tears were stinging at his eyes as he spoke.

"We don't know that!" Z shook her head, her own voice shaking.

"Look," Jack called suddenly, pointing through the smoke. Their eyes widened in shock as they saw Kruger walking with a female Sirian that could only be his wife. "They made it..." he breathed, unable to believe it. "They're alive!" Jack grinned widely. Unable to contain their joy, the Rangers cheered loudly, hugging one another as Spencer sighed, letting his head drop forwards.

* * *

"Help each other up!" Kat called as she guided the cadets who had finished off the last of the Troobians. "Report anyone who is missing," she instructed as Minos helped a fallen girl to her feet, and she and another cadet limped back inside.

"Congratulations!" they looked around to see Kruger, Isinia, and the Rangers approach. "SPD!" he raised his Shadow Sabre.

"SPD!"

"SPD!" everyone echoed. Piggy awkwardly attempted a salute.

"Today, Earth can celebrate," Kruger told them proudly.

"And none of us would be here today, if it wasn't for Piggy," they applauded as he smiled bashfully. Spencer frowned, glancing around as a shiver ran down his spine, and he walked towards a pile of wreckage.

"Spencer?" Minos noticed the Gold Ranger tilt his head. The wreckage suddenly trembled, and a figure burst out, landing in front of him. Spencer's eyes widened, and Grumm snarled.

"You!" he lashed out, only for another figure to tackle him out of the way. Kayden cried out as he was struck hard, crashing to the ground.

"Kayden!" Z sprinted over with the others close behind as blood poured from the wound across his chest.

"Kruger!" Grumm snarled as Spencer began to heal the fallen Ninja, as the others carefully pulled him away from Grumm. "Forgive me for being late to your celebration Kruger," he growled.

"We're with you Commander," Jack called as he stood with the others in front of Kayden.

"No!" Kruger shook his head. "I will finish this," he vowed. The two rushed at one another, fighting fiercely as the others watched, holding their breaths. Z, torn between Kayden and Kruger, looked between the two.

"He'll be fine Z," Spencer told her with gritted teeth as he healed the wound slowly. Z nodded, taking Kayden's hand as Kruger spun. With a yell, he brought his sabre down and cut through Grumm's staff, making the skeletal creature roar angrily. He struck Grumm again, and he fell to his knees as Kruger raised his sabre.

"Show me no mercy Kruger," Grumm snarled. "No mercy!" Kruger brought down his sabre, and everyone stared as Grumm's other horn flew through the air. " _No_!" Grumm roared furiously.

"Now they match," Kruger told him firmly, and blasted him with his Morpher. Grumm was trapped within a card, and Kruger lifted it. "Justice is served!" everyone cheered loudly, and Kayden sat up suddenly.

"Did I miss it?" he demanded.

"You're welcome," Spencer groaned, falling back. He was caught by the Minos as the other Rangers laughed at Kayden as he blinked rapidly. "Sorry, think I might have uh...left a mark," Spencer managed to say weakly. Still dazed, Kayden lifted his shirt to find a scar across his chest.

"Huh. Well, the ladies should find it attractive, right?" Kayden glanced to Z, who just pulled him into a kiss in response.

"I guess that answers that," Annie commented, turning away as she looked grossed out.

"Guys, don't leave me down here with this," Spencer whined as they moved away.

* * *

"Rangers, I've called you together to hear this," all the Rangers, including Omega and Nova, stood in the Command Centre. "Jack Landors has left SPD," he announced. Their eyes widened.

"He resigned?" Bridge demanded.

"But why?" Syd asked, and frowned. "He didn't even say goodbye," she realised softly, tears in her eyes.

"Doesn't surprise me," Z shrugged. "Once something's over, he's gone," she smiled sadly when they looked to her.

"Rangers, for your true courage, heroism and valour in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, I am elevating you to A-Squad," the Commander announced. However, his words didn't have the reaction he expected. "Did you hear me? I'm promoting you to A-Squad," he repeated.

"No, we heard you," Bridge was first to find his voice. "But...we talked it over, and you know what? We _are_ B-Squad," he said as the others smiled and nodded in agreement. "That's who we are. That's who we want to be," Bridge told the Commander.

"Very well. B-Squad it is. There will be no A-Squad," Kruger decided. "But there's still one problem. You have no Red Ranger. You have no leader," their smiles fell as they realised he was right. "Sky Tate, step forward," he ordered. Sky did so quickly. "If I was to appoint Annie as Red Ranger, would you follow her into battle?" Annie's eyes widened in horror.

"Sir, I'd gladly follow anyone into battle that you found worthy of wearing the colour Red," Sky replied.

"Congratulations Sky," Kruger smiled at him and held out a Morpher. "You are the new Red Ranger," Sky stared at the Morpher, and slowly took it. The others applauded, proud of how much he'd grown.

"Oh thank god," Annie muttered as Kruger whispered to Sky, making the new Red Ranger smile.

"You didn't really think he'd make you Red, did you?" Spencer arched an eyebrow.

"No," Annie went red. "But I got scared for a second," the others couldn't help but laugh as Sky stepped back beside them. Suddenly, a blue and black hole appeared in the room, taking them all by surprise.

"Uh, we're not getting a third new Ranger, are we?" Kayden arched an eyebrow.

"Nope!" Sam laughed. "That's our ride home," he said as he and Nova approached it. "Goodbye everyone, and thank you for making our future safe," he smiled.

"Laters!" the Nova Ranger waved brightly.

"Wait!" as they went to leave, Z rushed forwards. She sighed, smiling softly at him. "Goodbye Sam," she hugged him tightly. "I'll see you in twenty years," Sam grinned as he hugged her back.

"Okay. I'll be there Z," he promised.

"You better be, Sparkle-Pants," Annie grinned.

"Sparkle-Pants?" Nova repeated, tilting her head curiously.

"Yeah, you can't get rid of us that easily," Sky nodded with a smile of his own.

"Right," Sam laughed. He stepped back to stand beside Nova. "Let's go," he said to her.

"Sure thing, Sparkle-Pants," she giggled. Sam rolled his eyes and sighed, before they turned to the group watching them.

"Goodbye my friends," they waved, and for a split second they saw Sam and Nova demorphed, before the two disappeared.

"Huh. The Nova Ranger looked way younger than I thought she would," Annie commented on the young blonde girl that had fought with Sam.

"She was kinda familiar," Sky murmured. Syd nodded in agreement.

"Wonder what her name really was," Spencer folded his arms.

"Oh it was Kiana C-" Kat immediately covered Boom's mouth, and the man flailed in alarm.

"We don't know, do we Boom?" Kat glared at him.

"Um...no," he said quickly. The Rangers exchanged curious looks.

* * *

Unloading the van of the clothes and handing them to the other workers, Jack was focused on what he was doing, until he heard a voice call.

"Hey!" he smiled as Z walked over and hugged him tightly.

"You guys need some clothes?" Sky called as the other Rangers approached too.

"Guys, thanks," Jack grinned as he took blue clothes from Sky and green from Bridge, along with an assortment of colours from Kayden and Spencer. Syd raised an eyebrow at Spencer.

"What?" his face flickered red.

"Spencer tried to deny that part of our brains that make us always wear our Ranger colours," Annie explained. Syd and Z started to giggle as the others looked at Spencer.

"Oh shut up," he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you might have left SPD, but you're not leaving our lives," Sky told Jack.

"We're still a little upset you ditched before helping us with clean-up duty," Kayden nodded, wearing a grey and green uniform as Z took his hand. Jack just smiled innocently at the newest Ranger.

"Well brother, guess we both get to do something bigger," Z commented. Jack grinned at her, thinking back to her words before they first became Rangers.

"Ahem, hello there," they looked to Piggy as he approached, wearing a suit with a rotting banana peel sticking out of the pocket.

"Piggy? What are you doing here?" Sky asked as they couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, didn't Jack tell you? I've gone into business with him and Ally," Piggy smiled, putting an arm around Ally. Immediately Jack slapped his hand away.

"Seriously Ally, don't be afraid to punch him," Annie grinned to the other blonde. Piggy gasped in horror as Ally laughed.

"After all this time, you still always have to resort to violence first," Sky rolled his eyes.

"Not true!" Annie argued.

"You flipped Spencer this morning for commenting on-never mind," Bridge glanced away quickly when Annie arched an eyebrow at him.

"Another problem with you leaving. I'm the only one on the team not seeing someone _in the team_ ," Spencer threw his hands into the air.

"Suck it up Bly," Sky told him as he put an arm around Syd. She smiled as Spencer shot them a glare.

"Yeah Spencer, you've gotten real whiny lately," Annie nodded as Bridge took her hand.

"Maybe he's just jealous he's single," Kayden mused as he pulled Z closer.

"Good grief," Spencer pinched the bridge of his nose, bumping his new glasses. "I hate every single one of you," he declared. Jack couldn't help but laugh, before their Morphers beeped suddenly. Sky grabbed his Morpher, and glanced to Jack, smiling slightly.

"Go for it," Jack nodded with a smile. Sky grinned widely as the others looked from Jack, to their new leader.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

* * *

 **So at long last, we've finally reached the end of SPD! It's crazy to think it took so long, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same!**

 **Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, review, favourite and follow this story, you encourage me to keep going and to keep improving in my writing. You're all awesome!**

 **I'll be posting a oneshot that will lead into the next story, Dino Charge: Prehistoric Rising, soon enough, but after that there'll be a short break, as I really want to finish at least one of my unfinished fics that are posting. At the moment I'm flying through Shadowed Heart: Threads of Fate, so hopefully that will continue.**

 **But don't fear, I won't hold off for that long! If I feel the break is getting too long, I'll start posting.**

 **Anyway, thank you all again!**

 **Please review!**


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